Recent Shifts in International Relations (2024–2025): Multipolarity, Regionalism, and Technological Governance

Abstract This article surveys pivotal trends shaping international relations between 2024 and mid‑2025. Key developments include the consolidation of multipolarity—particularly via China’s leadership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and BRICS expansion—India’s strategic recalibration, the rise of regional/minilateral diplomacy, challenges to multilateral institutions, and emerging domains such as AI governance, cybersecurity, and financial fragmentation. Drawing on recent summit events, emerging diplomacy practices, and scholarly analyses, this article proposes an integrated framework for studying evolving IR dynamics. It concludes with research priorities that combine normative and empirical methodologies aligned with a shifting global order.