India fifth most powerful nation, says National Security Index

New Delhi: The latest National Security Index (NSI), designed by Indian security and economic experts, ranks the country as the fifth most powerful in the world.

The index looks at the strengths of 50 nations around the world and considers a number of parameters, including economic, defence, technological capabilities and energy security.

A part of India's National Security Annual Review 2010, the NSI 2010 places India fifth in the hierarchy of top 50 nations identified on the basis of their GDP.

The review will be released by foreign minister SM Krishna on 19 April.

According to the director, Foundation for National Security Research, Satish Kumar, who edited the national security review, the NSI is based on an assessment of defence capability, economic strength, effective population, technological capability and energy security of the top 50 countries.

The United States heads the list on the basis of these criteria followed by China, Japan and Russia.