India is now a "major power" in Asia, says 2025 Power Index
India just scored "major power" status in the latest Asia Power Index from the Lowy Institute, landing third after the US and China.
With a power score of 40.0, this marks a big moment for India as it steps up on the global stage.
What's driving India's rise?
India's economic growth is on fire—it's now ahead of Japan in economic capability and has become the second hottest spot for foreign investment after the US.
On top of that, recent experience from Operation Sindoor (May 2025) has boosted its defense game.
But some challenges remain
Even with all this progress, India's actual influence isn't matching its resources yet—the so-called "Power Gap" has increased significantly.
Plus, its defense network ranking slipped to 11th place, showing that building strong partnerships and diplomatic reach is still a work in progress.