06 December 2021
India has been declared as the 4th most powerful country in Asia, behind the US, China, and Japan. The latest ranking was released by the Lowy Institute Asia Power Index 2021.
India's overall score declined by two points from 2020 in the recently released Index. It is among eighteen countries in the region to trend downward in its overall score in 2021.
India performed best on the future resources measure, finishing only behind the US and China. It finished fourth on the measures of economic capability, military capability, resilience, and cultural influence.
India ranked lower than Nepal and Sri Lanka in the power gap index. It exerts less influence in the region than expected due to its negative power gap score.
India secured 7th place in its defense networks, reflecting progress in its regional defense diplomacy. India has slipped into the 8th position for economic relationships, as it falls further behind in regional trade integration efforts.
While the most influenced country by India in the region is Nepal, New Delhi itself is most influenced by China, followed by the United States and the European Union. India engages in trade with these countries the most.
The report further noted that India's ability to match China’s military and economic capabilities — will take a decades-long effort, "with no guarantee of success."
The top 10 countries for overall power in the Asia-Pacific region are the US, China, Japan, India, Russia, Australia, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand, Lowy Institute said.