India, Nov. 30 -- Geopolitical turbulence has become the defining feature of our times. From trade wars to real wars in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, to growing protectionism and fractured global supply chains, today's world is anything but predictable. Climate policy continues to feel the strain. Multilateralism, once the primary conduit for global climate action, is faltering. Yet amid this fraying fabric, a quieter - and arguably more durable - pattern is emerging: A network of pragmatic, interest-driven partnerships that may prove more effective in a rapidly emergent new world order. There is a new kind of global cooperation developing, one that is more multi-nodal than unipolar and one grounded on purposeful alignment. This is what we call an "axis of good" - a constellation of countries choosing to move forward together on climate action not because they are compelled to, or not just because it is the right thing to do, but because it is in their shared interest. India sits at the heart of this shift. In contrast to the gridlock of global climate negotiations that are unfortunately likely for the next few years, the country is quietly forging purposeful alliances across continents - not ideological blocs, but practical coalitions focused on mutual benefit. Take India's partnership with the European Union (EU). While their formal climate negotiations often meander, cooperation on clean technology has gathered pace. Joint investments and knowledge-sharing initiatives around green hydrogen, battery storage and low-carbon industrial processes point to a shared recognition: Technology transfer and market access, not abstract commitments, are what will drive real emission intensity reductions and build the foundations for success in the new green economy that is inevitable. The EU's research and technological prowess and India's scale and cost innovation create natural synergies. In fact, disruptive technologies like green hydrogen may become emblematic of this new age of collaboration. Countries with solar and wind resources - such as India, Australia, and several in West Asia - are natural producers, while regions like Japan and Korea are likely to be major consumers. This creates the basis for a complementary alignment of demand and supply, encouraging cross-border investment, innovation and standard setting. India's own National Green Hydrogen Mission and bilateral discussions with partners from the EU to Japan show how diplomacy, technology, industrial policy and climate leadership can reinforce each other. In the southern hemisphere, India's relationship with Brazil is another case in point. While the two nations have aligned positions on several geopolitical issues, an exciting new area of co-operation is biofuels. They are discovering a productive overlap as large agricultural economies seek alternatives to fossil fuels that are locally sourced and politically palatable. As ethanol and biodiesel technologies mature, bilateral cooperation on standards, supply chains and research should influence global norms. The Global Biofuels Alliance announcement is a great starting point and a marker of the alliance. More quietly still, there is a "buyers' club" that is evolving as a loose affiliation of major LNG (liquefied natural gas) importing countries including Japan, South Korea and the European Union that are working together to influence LNG suppliers to encourage monitoring, reducing and reporting of methane emissions. It's not a formal structure yet, but is gaining traction as a coordinated purchasing strategy, and the logical evolution is to have a pairing with certified low-methane LNG suppliers. What binds these disparate strands is not a common ideology, but a shared strategic calculus. Each of these partnerships is not just driven by a sober assessment of national interest, but also a recognition that the path to energy security and economic stability increasingly runs through decarbonisation. And unlike the high-stakes theatre of global climate diplomacy, these are low-profile, high-functioning arrangements - less grandstanding, more delivery. Underpinning these international partnerships is India's growing ecosystem of startups, entrepreneurs and innovators who are turning disruptive ideas into scalable climate solutions - from battery recycling and precision agriculture to electric mobility and the circular economy. They are the connective tissue between global technology cooperation and local transformation. For India to stay ahead, it must keep investing in research and development. The Rs 1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) fund will help provide catalytic finance. Strong linkages between industry and academia must be built up. The government can act as a facilitator, but these efforts must be industry-driven, with commercial R&D. India's innovations in energy access, clean energy, and creating markets for clean energy, will not only serve domestic needs but also contribute to global decarbonisation. India's role is instructive. Straddling both developing and developed worlds, speaks credibly to the concerns of the Global South while influencing global trends. By leveraging bilateral and plurilateral relationships for technology access, investment, and resilient supply chains, India is demonstrating that growth and green ambition need not be at odds - and that its development path could offer a viable model for others seeking inclusive, low-carbon prosperity. This shift matters. Multilateral institutions are struggling to adapt to a more multipolar world. While the global architecture remains relevant for setting broad targets and principles, the real work of climate action increasingly occurs in smaller configurations - coalitions of the willing, anchored in shared interests and grounded in delivery. Call it minilateralism if you will, but it is getting things done. This is not to suggest that all is well. The world is not on track to meet its climate goals, and time is running out. But progress will not come solely from dramatic pledges or sweeping frameworks. It will come from steady, strategic alignment, and from countries like India that can bridge divides and build coalitions. The mixed outcome of COP30 in Belem underscored that reality. Framed as a summit of implementation, it delivered modest steps on climate finance and adaptation but fell short of consensus on fossil fuels and forests - revealing that ambition remains contested even as cooperation on delivery deepens. Yet India's focus on equitable finance, technology access, and practical partnerships reflected the growing maturity of climate diplomacy - one defined less by rhetoric and more by results. In a world that often feels defined by fragmentation, this axis of good offers a measure of reassurance and a pathway to progress. They are not perfect, nor are they permanent but they represent a pragmatic path forward in a period of uncertainty. Climate action may yet be saved not by grand alliances, but by the quiet logic of mutual self-interest....