Talk of India as a future great power is unavoidable, and some Indians predict a tri-polar world, anchored by the U.S., China, and India, by mid-century. India’s population of 1.2 billion is four times that of the U.S., and likely to surpass China’s by 2025. Vijay Joshi of St John’s College, Oxford, argues that, “if we extrapolate present trends, India will have the world’s third largest national income (after the US and China) within 25 years.” … In terms of soft power, India has an established democracy, and a vibrant popular culture with transnational influence.