THERE are no signs of the two ongoing conflicts - - Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas -- dying down soon. Apart from the fears of escalation and disruption of global supply chains affecting the economics, the world needs to give a thought to the psycho-geopolitical weariness about the prolonged nature of the conflicts. In the inter-connected world of today, any conflict anywhere in the world causes disruption with ripple effect forcing others into taking sides. The Russia-Ukraine as well as Israel-Hamas conflicts have divided the world. But, now, the world has grown weary about these conflicts. Already, there are several other conflicts mainly arising out of territorial disputes and cross-border terrorist activities. But, those have become more of localised events where matters are brought to discussion tables too. However, Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas have become more prolonged. The troops of all the sides involved in these two conflicts also are tired, if the reports are to be believed.

 

The countries whose supplies got affected due to these two frictions are waiting for the tiff to be over soon. For, the supply chain disruptions have adversely affected the costs of supplies. Some countries which tried to explore the option of alternative supply routes found new routes to be costlier. So, they are stuck -- between meeting needs of their people and higher costs of supply. Hence, more than taking ideological sides, several countries of the world are more concerned about long-term psycho-geopolitical impacts. If this phase of psycho-geopolitical weariness continues to extend because of the two major conflicts getting prolonged further, it will bring many countries of the world to think about thinking of establishing newer supply routes, irrespective of the higher costs involved. They will look for stable supply routes. In the process, many countries will not mind burying the differences between them for the time being or ironing out the minor differences of opinion over certain bilateral issues.

 

This may give rise to change in the nature of existing groupings or rise of new groupings altogether. Already, many countries are finding good the Indian idea of Global South consolidation and practice of multilateralism, they will be happier to resonate with the Indian idea of ‘co-operation, not conflict’. Of course, such a situation will benefit India in enhancing its global image as a responsible power and also in expanding trade ties with the spirit of togetherness. Obviously, such a situation may not be liked by the dominating world powers, who have prided themselves in taking credit for shaping the World Order so far. Nonetheless, if these dominating powers have failed miserably in curtailing the ongoing conflicts in the world, and have, in fact, added fuel to the fire, more and more nations buying the idea of multilateralism andvying for co-operating with India cannot be avoided. In the given circumstances, such a situation will be the product of time. It, too, will do good to the world. For the time being, it is in the interest of every country to strive for dousing the flames of Russia-Ukraine and IsraelHamas conflicts, which threaten to engulf Europe and the Middle East respectively. Not to prolong these conflicts to the extent of escalation is in the interest of humanity, which has been striving for peaceful co-existence.