Asia is emerging as a global power, says Mahbubani

Kishore Mahbubani, a former president of the UN Security Council, spoke about Asia's growing influence at the Raisina Dialogue 2025. He believes we are entering an “Asian century” as economic power shifts from the West to Asia, particularly highlighting India's rise. Mahbubani noted significant changes in economic comparisons. For example, in 2000, the United States was eight times larger than China. Now, that gap has narrowed to just 1.5 times. He also pointed out that India has climbed into the top five economies, while the UK has dropped out of the top ten. He expressed concerns that some political scientists believe the next world war could occur in Asia, suggesting that “Asia’s future will be Europe’s past.” However, he emphasized Asia's recent peace, noting that there have been no major wars in the region for 46 years, unlike the conflicts seen in Europe. Mahbubani praised ASEAN for its diversity. He described it as the most diverse region in the world, with various religions, including Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity. He believes ASEAN is also the most peaceful and prosperous area, showing more economic growth than the European Union over the last decade. He also mentioned that Singapore, as a founding member of ASEAN, has welcomed India to join the bloc. Mahbubani stated that the door is always open for India to become a member.