Pakistan 15th most powerful country in Asia with biggest gains in diplomatic influence: Report

(Karachi) Pakistan has been listed the 15th most powerful country in Asia on the Lowy Institute Asia Power Index with biggest gains in diplomatic influence, according to a recently released report on the subject by Lowy Institute Asia Power Index which aimed to qualify and track the wealth and influence of nations on the continent.

The report highlights that India lags far behind Pakistan in the said category. Prime Minister Imran Khan and his team took productive measures to improve diplomatic relations with other countries, enhancing trade and economic ties.

Key figures

The report stated that in 2020, Pakistan had the biggest gains in diplomatic influence with (+3.8) points. However, it lost some points in cultural influence with (−3.9).

Elsewhere, it improved in resilience with (+1.3) points and future resources (+1.2) points, while trending down in defence networks with (−1.9) points. Its military capability stood at (−0.8) points and economic relationships at (−0.2) points. The score for economic capability remained unchanged this year.

Pakistan's major improvement has been in future resources measures, where it is placed on 7th rank reflecting an anticipated demographic dividend to 2050. Its lowest ranking is in the economic relationships measure, coming in at 20th place.

In 2020, Pakistan saw its greatest improvement in economic capability, resilience and diplomatic influence, where it moved up one place. However, it has also slipped by two places in the defence networks measure relative to 2019, the report mentioned.

Pakistan's negative power gap also improved in 2020, the report stated.

India's score declines

On the other hand, Pakistan's neighbouring country India lost the most points in cultural influence with (−5.3) points. Elsewhere, it trended down in future resources with (−4.9) points, economic relationships at (−2.9) points and diplomatic influence with (−2.6) points.

The report maintained that India's overall score declined by 1.3 points as compared to 2019. The impact of the coronavirus pandemic has also affected the economic forecast of the country for 2030.

India also slipped into 7th position for economic relationships, as it falls further behind in regional trade integration efforts. The decision to withdraw from the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership has been damaging in this regard.

Overview

The Australian think tank outlined that the inaugural index ranked 25 countries in Asia based on their overall influence, which was calculated using eight measures of power and 114 sub-indicators.

The eight measures listed in the index were economic resources, military capability, resilience, future trends. diplomatic influence, economic relationships, defence networks and cultural influence.

Pakistan was rated 15th on the overall power ranking, scoring 15.2 out of a maximum of 100. Other key findings highlighted in the report noted that three of the four largest economies in the world were now from Asia and that global wealth and power was 'shifting eastwards'.

The Sydney-based institute also cautioned that even though the strategic and political dynamics of the world were changing as Asia transformed, conflicts within the continent 'would define war and peace in the twenty-first century'.