India in Asia Power Index 2024: The missing dimensions

Recently an Australiabased think tank, Lowy Institute's Asia Power Index 2024 ranked India as 3rd most powerful country in Asia, trailing just behind the USA and China, who were ranked 1st and 2nd most powerful respectively.

- GARGI L. SHANBHAG & CHETAN B. SINGAI

These rankings come when the world is witnessing multiple conflicts unfold in different regions. Israel-Hamas, Russia-Ukraine, SouthChina Sea conflict, Taliban in Afghanistan, Anti-Junta Protests in Myanmar etc, are some of the few but pivotal geopolitical events unfolding in India's neighbourhood. Such indices should be considered critically since they can influence and shape perceptions of global power dynamics. It also influences how countries view themselves and how others view them. However, having said that, limiting a nation's power and identity to mere metrics is quite a reductionist approach. Ranking India solely on conventional power metrics diminishes its broader contributions to global peace, multilateralism, and moral leadership.

CREDIBILITY OF POWER INDICES The notion of 'locating a nation' suggests a geographic understanding of power, but the influence is increasingly dispersed and transcends borders. In an interconnected, globalized world, does the index truly consider a nation's global reach through digital diplomacy, soft power, or transnational networks? For example, India's leadership in digital public infrastructure and South-South cooperation may not neatly fit into the index's traditional metrics of power.

Are the parameters in this index truly valid? If power is relative, can it be accurately ranked? Indices with such parameters are watertight compartments leaving little room for socio-political, historical, and policy differences. The index opines that its purpose is to sharpen the debate on power in Asia.

What is the index's purpose? Is it meant for policymakers, academics, governments, or public reference? Does it reflect a realist, constructivist, or neo-liberal view of power? If intended to guide strategy, how useful is it when it overlooks the historical and geopolitical nuances unique to each country? METHODOLOGICAL LIMITATIONS OF POWER INDICES Such a methodology or approach has its limitations.