New Delhi

Former German chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday strongly defended multilateral cooperation, warning that in an era marked by protectionism and geopolitical tensions, abandoning multilateralism is not an option.

Delivering the inaugural Dr Manmohan Singh Lecture, Merkel said the global order has been “shaken” by recent developments, including protectionist trade policies led by the United States and ongoing conflicts around the world.

Referring to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, wars, tariffs and growing strain on democratic institutions, Merkel said the principle of territorial integrity was being treated with contempt and democracies were under pressure.

“In Europe, the principle of territorial integrity was violated with the attack of Russia on Ukraine, forcing the European order into a corner after the Second World War. Thus, the right of territorial integrity and sovereignty was trampled. Multilateralism as a concept for our international cooperation is under pressure,” she said.

Without naming current leaders directly, Merkel criticised the weakening of international institutions, noting that under US President Donald Trump, organisations such as the World Health Organization, the World Trade Organization and the Paris Climate Agreement were undermined. She also said the role of the United Nations and its Security Council as platforms for resolving conflicts had been openly questioned.

“The previous order of cooperation is replaced by an order in which might means right, instead of the strength of the right,” she observed.

Tribute to Manmohan Singh

The lecture series has been instituted by the Manmohan Singh Trust to honour the legacy of India’s 14th Prime Minister, who served from 2004 to 2014 and is widely credited with ushering in economic reforms.

Merkel praised Singh’s commitment to democracy and multilateralism, recalling his 2005 address to the US Congress in which he said, “The real test of democracy is not what is stated in the Constitution but how it functions on the ground.”

She described Singh as a leader of integrity who rose from humble beginnings and combined intellectual depth with personal simplicity. His economic reforms, she said, were courageous and transformative.

Among those present at the event were Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former finance minister P Chidambaram, former Jammu and Kashmir governor N N Vohra, diplomats and other dignitaries. Singh’s wife Gursharan Kaur also attended the event.

Call for AI regulation

Merkel also flagged the urgent need for regulation of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, including social media platforms. She cautioned that if global regulation does not keep pace with technological advances, multilateral cooperation could weaken further.

“Technology should be subjected to regulation. Regulation for AI applications is needed. Such a demand seems utopian. When countries globally leading in the field like China are either setting their own rules or trying to prevent regulation, the way must be found to pave for regulation. If not, multilateralism would ossify,” she said.

Highlighting India’s economic trajectory, Merkel noted that as the world’s most populous country, India has sustained annual growth of over five per cent for many years and possesses significant economic potential. She also pointed to India’s demographic advantage compared to ageing societies such as Germany.

The lecture, titled “Germany and India in Times of Global Change”, was delivered in German and simultaneously translated into English.

Merkel expressed hope that the event would contribute, even in a small way, to strengthening India-Germany relations, recalling that the first inter-governmental consultations between the two countries were initiated when she and Singh were in office.

READ MORE: When Kalam, Ansari, Dilip Kumar prayed in the mosque as common Muslims

As global conflicts and trade disputes mount, Merkel’s message was clear: cooperation, not unilateralism, remains the only viable path forward in an increasingly uncertain world.