Global Swing States and the Non-Proliferation Order

The “global swing states” — Brazil, India, Indonesia, and Turkey — are now making critical decisions about how to orient themselves to increase their influence in world affairs. This is especially true regarding the intertwined issues of nuclear non-proliferation, nuclear disarmament, and nuclear energy, issues of practical and symbolic importance to each of these four countries. There is currently a disconnect between the proliferation concerns of many Western countries and the more immediate concerns of these nations. Western countries have traditionally defined the terms of the nonproliferation and disarmament debate and driven the accompanying agenda. To move beyond this pattern, the model of engagement will have to shift.