Cooperative Security, Arms Control and Disarmament Report No.292
The Role of Middle Powers in the Global Disorder
Herbert Wulf
April 3, 2026
Image: Photo Drive / shutterstock.com
This report discusses the requirements for new forms of cooperation on an unprecedented scale if governments in most countries of the world do not want to submit to the dictates of the major powers. A key to a rebalanced relationship among nations could be middle powers since they possess economic strength and political clout. The paper assesses the viability of different formats for such cooperation, from formal alliances to strategic partnerships or informal club models, drawing on the experiences of India, the EU and BRICS+ and ask what broader lessons middle powers could draw from these practices.