A new triumvirate is reshaping the global order. The leaders of India, China, and Russia—Narendra Modi, Xi Jinping, and Vladimir Putin—have formed a powerful de facto alliance that was on full display at the SCO summit, prompting warnings in the US about a “new world order.”
This reshaping of global power was described as a “historically big deal” by American political analyst Van Jones. He warned that the bonhomie among the three leaders is a troubling sign for the United States, as it represents a consolidated front of major powers determined to reduce American influence.
The primary catalyst for the formation of this triumvirate has been the US administration’s aggressive stance on trade. The tariffs have created a shared sense of grievance, providing a strong foundation for these nations to build a more coordinated strategic partnership.
Jones argued that this new alignment has left the US in a weak and isolated position, or “in a box.” He explained that America is now on the “bad side of the triangle,” a complete reversal of its historically advantageous place in global affairs. The result is a world where it feels like “everybody is against us.”