Putin Renews Call for Multipolar World, Cites India and China’s Rising Influence

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday repeated his call for a “multipolar world order,” arguing that no single power should dominate global politics or security.

“Everyone has equal rights in this multipolar world. Yes, there are economic giants like India or China, and our country is among the top four economies in purchasing power parity. But that doesn’t mean anyone should dominate politics or global security,” Putin said after a four-day visit to China.

He dismissed the “unipolar” model as unfair and outdated, stressing that multipolarity must not create new “hegemons.” “This new multipolar world should not have any hegemons. No one is speaking about this, not in BRICS, not in the SCO,” he said.

The remarks were widely seen as a swipe at Western sanctions over the Ukraine war and at U.S. tariff policies under President Donald Trump, including steep duties on Indian imports tied to New Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil.

Putin called his China trip “very positive” and highlighted “forward-looking” agreements reached during the visit. He also recalled an informal conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the SCO summit, mentioning he had briefed Modi on his recent talks with Trump in Alaska.