New Delhi: Former British PM Tony Blair has said India is in a much better position now than ever before but it was surprising that the country is still not a permanent member of the  United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

"India’s position is potentially more powerful than ever with the G20 and it is absurd to think that India is not a permanent member of the UNSC. You could say that about other countries as well," Blair was quoted as saying at a panel discussion during Raisina Dialogue as reported by The New Indian Express.

"UK India’s relations are great today. The fact that we have a Prime Minister who is of Indian origin shows how much things have changed," Blair added.

Blair said India is currently a bigger economy than Britain.

“It is a geopolitical power, it is a post-colonial country that dominates the original English sport of cricket,” he said during the discussion that included External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and former England Cricketer Kevin Pietersen.

The 8th Edition of the Raisina Dialogue is currently going on between Mar 2-4.

The Raisina Dialogue is India’s flagship conference on geopolitics and geo-strategy.

It is organized by Ministry of External Affairs in collaboration with Observer Research Foundation (ORF).