India Rises Above Japan to Take Third Place in the Asia Power Index

India has placed third in the Asia Power Index by Lowy Institute, indicating its remarkable rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic. This rise has, in turn, enabled India to outstrip Japan financially speaking and also reflected its rising role as a regional power

Asia Power Index Overview

• Assessing influence and power of 27 countries in Asia-Pacific.
• Factors (military strength, economic resources, diplomatic influence and cultural impact)
• USA  Score: 81.7, China Score: 72.7, India Score: 39.1, Japan Score: 39.1, Australia Score: 31.9 & Russia  Score: 31.1 are top six countries.

India ranks 4th in Asia Power Index

• Economic Growth: Strong rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic uplifted India's score by 4.2 points
• India = emerging, driven by its population + GDP powers up PPP ranking
• Transformation in the Diplomatic Arena: Post-LAC times have seen India upping its ante internationally especially through an expanded presence on multilateral forums like Quad, and therefore has gained a broader sphere of diplomatic influence.

Leadership and Strategicoice in India

Under Prime-Minister Narendra Modi, India emerged from the shadows and adopted a non-aligned foreign policy, enabling it to navigate difficult geopolitical waters by exerting regional power.