The global landscape is shifting rapidly, and the idea of a "new world order" is making headlines once again. But is this truly a new phenomenon, or simply an unmasking of the old power structures that have always governed international relations? On October 18, 2025, two influential voices—Sir Ronald Sanders, ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda to the United States and the OAS, and former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak—offered their perspectives on the evolving world order, sovereignty, and the rise of economic powers like India. Their insights, shared in separate forums, capture the tension and hope that define this pivotal moment in history.
Sir Ronald Sanders, writing for The Jamaica Observer, dissected the notion of a "rules-based order" that has long been touted as the backbone of international relations. He argued that, in reality, "power wrote the rules and altered them at will," and that the recent era is marked by a bluntness about this fact that few even try to hide. Sanders traced this dynamic back to foundational moments like the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 and the United Nations Charter in 1945, both of which proclaimed the sovereign equality of states. Yet, he contended, "legal sovereignty—the declared right to be free from interference—belongs to all; political sovereignty—the power to act without permission—belongs to the few."
This distinction is not just theoretical for small states. Sanders emphasized that for countries like those in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), sovereignty is a "fragile shield of defence"—the space in which they can choose partners, legislate priorities, and speak their truths. But when that space contracts, "independence becomes more ceremony than substance." He pointed to the Caribbean’s declaration of a "Zone of Peace" half a century ago, a visionary pledge by leaders Michael Manley, Errol Barrow, Forbes Burnham, and Eric Williams, designed to keep the region free from the rivalries of distant powers. Today, however, that pledge is under threat.
Former Jamaican Prime Minister P. J. Patterson, as cited by Sanders, warned of the "fundamentally dangerous and a horrible erosion" of sovereignty due to external military operations in Caribbean waters—actions justified in the name of security but, in Patterson’s words, "appear to be unmindful of sovereignty, if not of law." Sanders clarified that the concern is not about cooperation against transnational crime, which is valuable, but about ensuring such cooperation is "anchored in international law, transparency, and respect for regional consultation." The real issue is that even within their own waters, "decisions are made elsewhere."
Sanders painted a sobering picture: small states depend on the international rule of law, but are powerless when it is ignored. He cited examples such as regimes imposed without United Nations mandate—"as the OECD and the European Union have done on financial services"—and trade restrictions justified by larger powers, even though Caribbean small states "have no surplus with any trading partner," except Guyana in oil and gas. Human-rights mechanisms, he noted, are often "starved of funds or credibility." For many poor and powerless countries, justice has "nominally existed, but enforcement has not."
So what’s new about today’s "new world order"? According to Sanders, not much—except for the "bluntness with which power is exercised." The hierarchy has always existed, but now "only some pretend otherwise." The implications for small nations are stark: sovereignty may soon mean little more than the right to manage domestic affairs, "provided they do not offend the ideologies or interests of those who command the oceans, the markets, and the security umbrella." Yet he urged small states not to retreat into despair, but to "insist on the language of law and principle—not because it always protects us, but because without it, there is nothing left to which to appeal."
Meanwhile, at the NDTV World Summit 2025, former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak offered a different but complementary perspective. Sunak hailed India as an "economic superpower," noting that it had overtaken Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy by nominal GDP. "India has just about surpassed the UK in terms of the number of Unicorns," he pointed out, referencing the country’s booming startup sector. According to data cited from the International Monetary Fund and NITI Aayog, India’s nominal GDP is estimated at around $4.18 trillion for 2025-26, putting it behind only the United States, China, and Germany. Sunak also noted that by purchasing power parity, India is already among the world’s top three economies.
But Sunak’s remarks went beyond economic rankings. He declared, "The old global order, which I grew up with, is gone. I don’t think it’s coming back. But a couple of themes are clear. I see more multipolarity, and countries will focus on their own strengths." This vision of a multipolar world aligns with Sanders’s observation that the pretense of a single, rules-based order is fading. Instead, countries are increasingly acting in their own national interest and asserting their sovereignty in new ways.
On the contentious issue of migration, Sunak—himself the first British Prime Minister of Indian origin—stressed the importance of sovereignty. "It’s the government’s decision who can come to your country, as it’s a matter of fundamental sovereignty," he said, adding a personal note: "I come from a family of immigrants." This assertion echoes Sanders’s concern that sovereignty, especially for small and developing states, is under threat from external pressures.
Sunak also addressed recent US tariffs on India, remarking, "I think every country is gonna work on its own national interest. And that is entirely right." He emphasized the importance of trust in international relationships, stating, "When you base your relationships on trust, I think they can, over time, be more powerful."
Both Sanders and Sunak recognize that the gap between the rhetoric of equality and the reality of power is widening. Sanders warned that "when law is silenced and power alone speaks, the ladder of equity collapses, leaving the powerless helpless at the bottom." Sunak, for his part, sees opportunity in the rise of new powers like India, but also acknowledges the challenges of a world where "countries will focus on their own strengths" and alliances are increasingly transactional.
For small states, the challenge is to find space for agency and dignity in a world where the rules are set by others. For emerging powers like India, the moment is one of both pride and responsibility. As the international order evolves, the voices of both the powerful and the vulnerable will shape what comes next—if, that is, they are heard at all.
This moment in world affairs is not so much about the arrival of something new, but about the world’s willingness to admit what has always been true: power often trumps principle, but the language of law and the hope for equity remain essential tools for those who would challenge the status quo.