The ‘Donroe doctrine’, a broken international order

Why in the News? 

The concept of the ‘Donroe Doctrine’ has entered strategic discourse after the United States, under President Donald Trump, carried out an extraordinary operation in early 2026 by abducting Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and incarcerating him in the U.S. This act, justified by Washington as a modern reinterpretation of the Monroe Doctrine, has raised serious questions about sovereignty, international law, and the viability of the post-1945 global order.

Background

• The Monroe Doctrine (1823) asserted U.S. primacy in the Western Hemisphere and opposition to external interference.
• Over two centuries later, this doctrine appears to have been revived and radicalised, transforming from a defensive principle into an assertive enforcement mechanism.
• The muted global response to the Venezuela operation suggests a fractured international system, where power politics increasingly override legal and multilateral norms.
• The episode reinforces the belief that the liberal international order is giving way to a ‘free-for-all’ geopolitical environment.

Features

Reassertion of Hemispheric Primacy

• The U.S. claims the role of sole security guarantor in the Western Hemisphere.
• Explicit rejection of non-Hemispheric powers positioning forces or influencing regimes in the region.
  

Doctrine Backed by Force

• The Venezuelan operation reflects a 21st-century version of “shock and awe”, signalling readiness for unilateral military action.
• Implicit warnings to countries such as Cuba, Colombia, Mexico, and even extra-regional territories like Greenland.

Codification through Strategy

• The U.S. National Security Strategy (NSS), November 2025, formally endorses:
• Denial of strategic space to rivals
• Restoration of U.S. preeminence
  
• Reduced tolerance for diplomatic ambiguity

Regional Implications

Europe

• Criticised for strategic dependency on the U.S.
• Pressured to assume primary responsibility for its own defence.
• Signals of a possible U.S.–Russia understanding to stabilise Europe, potentially at Ukraine’s expense.
  

West Asia

• Temporary pause in Israel’s military campaign, but peace remains elusive.
• Iran faces internal unrest and external pressure, increasing risks of regional escalation.
• Gaza and the surrounding regions remain highly volatile.
  

Afghanistan–Pakistan Region

• Resurgence of the Tehreek-e-Taliban and other extremist groups.
• Democratic backsliding in Pakistan, with military dominance overshadowing civilian leadership.
• Renewed U.S.–Pakistan military cooperation alters regional security equations.
  

China and the Indo-Pacific

• China has effectively absorbed U.S. tariff pressures and leveraged control over rare earth exports.
• Expanding influence in Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean, and global supply chains.
• The Eastern Pacific is no longer an uncontested U.S. sphere of influence.
  

Challenges for the International Order

Erosion of Sovereignty

• Precedents like Venezuela weaken the sanctity of state sovereignty.
  

Normalisation of Unilateralism

• Power-based enforcement replaces rule-based governance.
  

Geopolitical Emulation

• Risk that China and Russia justify similar actions in their perceived spheres of influence.
  

Decline of Multilateral Institutions

• UN and international law are increasingly sidelined.

Notes for New Delhi (India’s Dilemma)

• India faces strategic uncertainty amid:
  • U.S. pressure over Russian oil imports
  • Warming U.S.–Pakistan ties
  • China’s economic and trade leverage
• India’s relative isolation in West Asia and tariff vulnerabilities deepen anxieties.
• Positive counterweights include:
  • I2U2 (India–Israel–U.S.–UAE)
  • India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC)
• Stabilisation with China after the Tianjin summit (2025) remains fragile and unlikely to deepen in 2026.

Way Forward

For the Global System

• Revitalisation of multilateralism and international law.
• Collective resistance to unilateral precedents that normalise coercion.

For India

• Strategic autonomy with diversified partnerships.
• Economic resilience against tariff and supply-chain coercion.
• Enhanced focus on internal security and counter-terror preparedness.

Conclusion

The ‘Donroe Doctrine’ symbolises a broken and brutalised international order, where power increasingly trumps principle. As 2026 unfolds, the world confronts a landscape marked by unilateral interventions, weakened norms, and intensifying great-power rivalry. For India and much of the Global South, this represents not just diplomatic discomfort but a structural challenge to sovereignty, stability, and strategic choice.