since the strictly military direction is among the factors that killed the SU i doubt that putin will emphasize the military so much. the sphere of influence is decreasing and the ideology only counts for a few in the country.

i think the best bet for a future superpower is the future EU.
the only way for Russia to be a superpower again, is to go back to communist style iron-fisted rule. i don't think the people would do it.
China could be a superpower one day, but not for a while. they're a strong regional power, and their desire to buy every mothballed aircraft carrier in the world and turn them all into 'casinos' could become alarming. so someday maybe chinese 'casinos' will help them project more globally and make them a superpower.
if India can't even control Pakistan, they'll never be a superpower.
maybe Japan one day too.

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".. i stand by my ethnic slur ... do your worst you filthy pretentious savages .."
"Diamond" Joe Quimby

Russia maybe, due to their enormous natural resources, but North Korea is on the verge of collapse. They'll sooner dissolve as a nation than become powerful.

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China is soon going to be the world's biggest economy and it will be interesting to see what China does with its increasing power

How many countries are there in the world?