India has become the third most powerful nation in Asia, surpassing Japan in the Asia Power Index. The Asia Power Index report for 2024 indicated that strong post-COVID economic growth has led India to increase its economic capability by 4.2 points. The report also highlights that India performed well across all other resource measures, especially in future resources, where its score rose by 8.2 points. This growth suggests that India’s youthful population may deliver a demographic dividend in the decades to come, unlike many other countries in Asia.
India’s Diplomatic Influence has also risen in the Asia Power Index. In 2023, India increased its tempo of diplomatic activity, participating in the sixth-highest number of dialogues with countries included in the Asia Power Index. This helped India surpass Japan, reinforcing its status as the third-largest power in the index and reflecting its increasing geopolitical stature.
The Asia Power Index ranks 27 countries and territories based on their capacity to shape their external environment, with its scope reaching as far west as Pakistan, as far north as Russia, and as far into the Pacific as Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.