China and India increasingly present themselves as leaders of the Global South—a term that remains vaguely defined and politically contested. Both invoke historical experience and solidarities to signal alignment with developing countries’ interests. Amidst geopolitical ruptures, this has created alternative avenues of engagement beyond Western partners. For European policymakers, this underscores the need for a more nuanced and strategic engagement with the Global South—one that takes seriously the interplay of Chinese and Indian ambitions and avoids simplistic assumptions about leadership or solidarity.

This dossier brings together perspectives from China and India on their respective objectives and strategies toward the Global South. It also includes analyses by experts from Chile, Indonesia, Kenya, and Sri Lanka, who examine how persuasive China’s and India’s leadership actions and narratives are in their respective national contexts. A further article explores what Europe must do to remain an important partner for Global South countries.