February 20th 2025.
New Delhi: In a positive development for the relationship between the two nations, a Chinese diplomat has praised India's growing influence in the Asia Power Index. Yu Jing, the spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in India, shared a post on X citing the 2024 Asia Power Index released by Australia's Lowy Institute. The report, which was released in September 2024, ranks India as the third most powerful country in Asia, just behind the United States and China.
India's rise in the Asia Power Index has been attributed to its remarkable improvement in various categories, especially in Diplomatic Influence. This surge in influence can be attributed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's increased engagement on the international stage. As India surpassed Japan to secure the third spot in the index, many leaders have credited PM Modi's visionary leadership and global strategy for the country's ascent.
Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, emphasized that India's rise is a direct result of PM Modi's bold ambitions and aggressive diplomatic strategy. He believes that without PM Modi's leadership, India would not have been able to achieve its current position, and today, the country is on the brink of becoming a superpower.
According to the Lowy Institute, the Asia Power Index is based on eight measures of power, 30 thematic sub-measures, and 131 indicators. It ranks 27 countries and territories based on their capacity to shape their external environment, spanning from Pakistan to Russia and as far as Australia, New Zealand, and the United States in the Pacific.
The Indian government has identified three major factors behind the country's rise in the index – economic growth, prospects, and diplomatic influence. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting stated that PM Modi's leadership has gained international recognition, and India's non-aligned strategic position has allowed it to navigate complex international waters effectively. In terms of diplomatic interactions, India ranked sixth in 2023, showcasing its active participation in multilateral forums.
The strained relationship between India and China has shown signs of improvement since the meeting between PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan, October 2024. Recently, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited Beijing for a meeting of the Foreign Secretary-Vice Foreign Minister mechanism between the two countries on January 27. During this meeting, both sides agreed to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in the summer of 2025 and to also resume direct air services between the two nations.
Experts believe that the Chinese diplomat's post on Thursday could be a part of both countries' efforts to utilize 2025 – the 75th anniversary of the establishment of India-China diplomatic relations – to strengthen public diplomacy and improve awareness about each other. This was also agreed upon during Foreign Secretary Misri's visit to Beijing last month, with the aim to restore mutual trust and confidence among the public. Overall, this is a positive step towards improving the relationship between the two countries.
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