India is the third most powerful nation in the world, an official US report says. India is placed after the US and China in the power list.  The new report by the National Intelligence Council (NIC) of the US and the European Union's Institute for Security Studies (EUISS) was released this week.

The report titled ‘Global Governance 2025’ predicts India’s position around the world will be stronger by 2025. According to the report, “By 2025 the power of the US, EU, Japan and Russia will decline while India, China and Brazil will increase in global power.”

India will be the fourth most powerful bloc as per the report. “By 2025, the US, though the most powerful nation in the world will carry a little over 18 percent of the global power, followed by China with 16 percent, European Union with 14 percent and India with 10 percent.”

The report also lauded the role of India in global governance.

The study is based on consultations with government officials; as well as business, academic, NGO, and think tank leaders; and media representatives.

“With the emergence of rapid globalisation, the risks to the international system have grown to the extent that formerly localised threats are no longer locally containable but are now potentially dangerous to global security and stability,” the report noted.

It also warned about power shifting to the non-state actors. “Hostile non-state actors such as criminal organisations and terrorist networks, all empowered by existing and new technologies, can pose serious security threats and compound systemic risks.”

The report noted various problems around the world which will be difficult to tackle. “The management of energy, food, and water resources—appears particularly unlikely to be effectively tackled without major governance innovations,” the report said.

China’s recent rise in Asia has put India at unease. “The Indians thought existing international organizations are “grossly inadequate” and worried about an “absence of an internal equilibrium in Asia to ensure stability.”

The study said the global governance will work in a limited scope. “Global governance is not slated to approach “world government” because of widespread sovereignty concerns, divergent interests, and deep-seated worries about the effectiveness of current institutions.”

Transforming global governance into effective and legitimate system would be challenge for the future leaders, the report noted.

Read the report