Shivshankar Menon
In barely two months, President Donald Trump has made evident the phase transformation that is underway in global geopolitics. We are witnessing the end of the US-led world order, the demise of the West as a unified geopolitical force and the diminished agency of the liberal globalisers who determined US foreign policy for extended periods.
To be sure, the protectionism, isolationism and nativism bordering on racism that we now see in the US is not new. President Trump's adoption of these policies is a result of long-building historical trends. This means that they are likely to be long-lasting and that there is no going back to earlier times. The manner of their implementation is, of course, uniquely his own. For many years to come, the US and Europe will be preoccupied with their internal reordering and regional security issues.
The effects of this shift on the world and India are many and consequential. Though put on hold for three months, Trump's tariffs and abandonment of international norms, commitments and institutions amount to America turning away from the world. The legitimacy of US power and influence and her reputation as a reliable ally or partner have diminished considerably.
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