The balance of global power is tilting. The East is demonstrating remarkable efficiency in achieving technological breakthroughs at a fraction of the cost incurred by the West.
India’s ISRO achieved a successful moon mission with a budget smaller than the cost that incurs on making am average Hollywood movie, while NASA spends exorbitantly on space exploration.
Similarly, China has unveiled its DeepSeek AI model, outperforming Western AI like ChatGPT, with a mere $6 million investment.
This development has sent shockwaves through the U.S. economy. In a single day, the American stock market suffered massive losses, with AI giant NVIDIA alone losing $593 billion in value.
This volatility underscores the vulnerability of Western markets and technology sectors, raising questions about the West’s ability to compete in the long term.
Historically, Western innovations were leveraged for human progress and strategic dominance in a relatively restrained manner.
But now, with advanced technology landing in the hands of authoritarian regimes like China, the global dynamic shifts dangerously.
These nations could weaponize AI and other tech to fuel geopolitical tensions, empower allies like North Korea, and destabilize democracies.
Amidst this shift, democracies like India have a unique opportunity. As the West grapples with its vulnerabilities, nations like India can strategically align with them, providing geopolitical support and manpower.
However, democracy’s inherent challenges in swift execution may require harder leadership styles, as seen in the West’s gravitation towards figures like Trump.
The future seems poised for a defining battle- Dictatorships vs. Democracies—with technology as the ultimate weapon.
