Navigating Peace and Stability in The Dominance of Major Global Powers in Interstate Competition

Abstract

This conference paper presents an academic adaptation of Professor Georgy Toloraya's presentation at the Jakarta Geopolitical Forum X, examining the implications of an emerging multipolar international order through the concept of Comparative Power. The presentation argues that conventional measures of state power based primarily on economic or military capabilities are insufficient to explain the increasingly complex distribution of influence in contemporary international relations. Instead, a broader comparative framework is introduced, incorporating historical, institutional, political, cultural, technological, and strategic dimensions to classify states according to their functional roles within the international system. The presentation further examines Russia's strategic position as a sub-superpower, the significance of the Russia-China partnership, the complementary role of BRICS+, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, and the Eurasian Economic Union alongside the United Nations, and the growing importance of Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia, in supporting a more inclusive multipolar order. Practical opportunities for cooperation are identified in energy security, food security, defence technology, peaceful nuclear applications, digital innovation, education, and multilateral dialogue. The presentation concludes that multipolarity represents an emerging equilibrium that should be strengthened through inclusive cooperation, strategic partnerships, and pragmatic multilateral engagement.