Rishi Sunak: India and Gulf states now dictate their own strategic paths

Addressing the "End of Predictability" panel in New Delhi, Sunak described the current global climate as a departure from the rules-based framework that previously governed international relations. He characterized the rise of China as a peer competitor to the United States across military, technological, and economic sectors as the primary driver of this shift. According to the former Prime Minister, this transition is not merely a consequence of specific leadership changes, but a fundamental realignment of global dynamics.

Sunak highlighted a sobering statistic: the world is currently experiencing 61 distinct state-based armed conflicts, the highest number since the Second World War. He contrasted his own concern regarding this volatility with the perspective of US leadership, suggesting that some view this instability as an opportunity for diplomatic maneuvering. While he stopped short of fully endorsing a worldview governed strictly by raw force, he emphasized that states now recognize economic security as inseparable from national defense and technological prowess. This convergence of risks creates an environment where hard power has regained its central role in shaping international outcomes.