US report says India third most powerful nation

Washington, Sep 21 (ANI): A new official US report has listed India as the third most powerful nation in the world after the US and China and the fourth most powerful block after the US.

"The new global power line-up for 2010 also predicted that New Delhi's clout in the world will further rise by 2025," as per 'Global Governance 2025' jointly issued by the National Intelligence Council (NIC) of the US and the European Union's Institute for Security Studies (EUISS).

The report further using the views of a host of experts from Brazil, Russia, India and China, among others, and fictionalised scenarios, points to what could happen over the next 25 years in terms of global governance.

US tops the list of powerful countries/regions in 2010, accounting for nearly 22 percent of the global power.

China is second along with European Union at 16 percent and India is placed third at eight percent.

Japan, Russia and Brazil follow India with less than five percent each.

It has been reported that according to the international futures model, the power of the US, EU, Japan and Russia will decline by 2025, while that of China, India and Brazil will increase, even though there will be no change in this listing.

US will still be the most powerful country of the world by 2025, but it will have a little over 18 percent of the global power.

China closely follows US with 16 percent, European Union with 14 percent and India with 10 per cent.

"The growing number of issues on the international agenda, and their complexity, is outpacing the ability of international organisations and national governments to cope," the report warns.

This critical turning point includes issues of climate change, ethnic and regional conflicts, new technology, and the managing of natural resources.

The report also throws light on the challenge proponents of effective global governance face.

On one hand, rapid globalization, economic and otherwise, has led to an interlinking of domestic politics and international issues and fuelled the need for more cooperation and more effective leadership.

"But on the other hand, an increasingly multipolar world, often dominated by non-state actors, has put a snag in progress toward effectual global governance," the report said. (ANI)