World Edging Towards Conflict, Warns Indian Minister Amid Rising Global Tensions
Authoritarianism and unchecked power risk plunging the planet into war once again
At a quiet book launch in India&rsquo;s capital, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari issued a chilling warning that echoed far beyond the literary setting. With calm conviction, the senior cabinet member cautioned that the current global environment&mdash;marked by authoritarianism, expansionist ambitions, and vanishing values&mdash;could spark a World War at any moment.
His words, though spoken during the release of Beyond Borders, resonated well beyond the room of attendees. Gadkari, India&rsquo;s Minister for Road Transport and Highways, framed his concerns against the backdrop of two active flashpoints: the protracted war between Russia and Ukraine, and the rapidly escalating conflict between Israel and Iran.
&ldquo;These are not isolated events,&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;but symptoms of a larger malaise.&rdquo; In his view, the world is teetering on the edge because powerful nations have slid into dictatorial or highly centralised systems of control. The balance of peace, he implied, is being held hostage by leaders who have rejected international cooperation and humanitarian restraint.
He spoke not merely as a politician, but as a student of history&mdash;drawing a line between past world wars and present circumstances. Citing the devastating impact on global and national economies, and the mass loss of life, Gadkari urged the international community to take a hard look at the prevailing disorder and reassess policy, dialogue, and diplomatic architecture.
Importantly, he placed India within this narrative not just as an observer but as a moral anchor. &ldquo;We are the land of the Buddha,&rdquo; he said, reminding listeners of the country&rsquo;s spiritual legacy in promoting peace and non-violence. Yet even this legacy, he admitted, feels increasingly vulnerable in an age where technology and weaponry outpace ethical frameworks.
He warned that technological advances, when married to belligerent politics, could render traditional notions of security obsolete. &ldquo;Protecting humanity is becoming more difficult,&rdquo; he noted, with a tone that veered from political rhetoric into philosophical urgency.
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<h3 data-start="2234" data-end="2289">A Warning Rooted in Strategic Realism</h3>
Gadkari&rsquo;s remarks come at a time when global diplomacy appears increasingly fatigued, and deterrence theory is being tested on multiple fronts. His message, though delivered in a civilian context, carries strategic weight. It reflects a growing consensus within India's defence and diplomatic circles that a multipolar world is not inherently stable&mdash;especially when shaped by leaders with authoritarian impulses.
The Russia-Ukraine conflict, now entrenched beyond its initial years, and the shadow war between Israel and Iran, which risks dragging in regional proxies, both signal the breakdown of conventional deterrence. What Gadkari warns is not hypothetical&mdash;it&rsquo;s a plausible trajectory, especially if escalation miscalculations persist.
His framing of India as a voice for peace is also telling. While New Delhi has maintained strategic autonomy in its foreign policy, it is increasingly positioning itself as a counterbalance to rising global disorder. The messaging suggests India sees its soft power and moral capital not just as cultural talking points but as active levers in future diplomacy.
For defence observers, Gadkari&rsquo;s words may not present new intelligence, but they do reflect a sharpening tone from within India&rsquo;s strategic establishment. In a world of drone warfare, cyber interference, and nuclear brinkmanship, the idea that conflict could erupt &ldquo;anytime&rdquo; is not mere pessimism&mdash;it is prudent foresight.
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Indian surface transport minister Nitin Gadkari (file photo)

Rising dictatorships and global conflicts may be pushing the world to the brink of war

Could a World War Break Out Anytime? Minister Warns

Rising dictatorships and global conflicts may be pushing the world to the brink of war

July 7, 2025 | 02:30 IST