India Ranks Fourth on Geopolitical Power Index

Germany takes the sixth place with an overall score of 62. The recent visit to Berlin of Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao has deepened the relationship between the world’s two major exporters. Trade between the two countries is now $185 billion, a third of total European Union trade with China. Germany does mainly well on innovation (8) and development (9).

Merchant said “Britain despite its high budget deficit and declining standards in public life ranks third overall in the GPI 2011 (H2) chart behind the U.S. and China and just ahead of India. This is largely on account of the lingering ‘Imperial Effect’ – the ability to project military power worldwide, an influential diaspora and strong popular culture exported globally through the English language. But the trend lines on many of Britain’s parameters are sliding terminally downwards. It is unlikely to hold on to third spot in future.”

Russia placed seventh on the list and gets high marks for military prowess (8) and geography (9), with its land mass strategically straddling Europe and Asia, but low marks for governance in the shadow of Prime Minister Vladmir Putin’s authoritarian regime which has muted political dissent and damaged the economy. Brazil took the eighth position on the list while Japan took the ninth. Japan, despite high per capita income is weighed down by a shrinking population, a stagnant economy and the long-term fallout of Fukushima. South Africa took the tenth place on the geopolitical index.