India faces a high risk for terrorist acts and is an easy place for access to weapons of minor destruction, a global study said today.

The Global Peace Index (GPI) ranked India at 107^th position among 140 countries as it hinted at an improvement in the status of internal peace and relations with neighbours since the last year when the country figured at 109th place.

The authors took 24 indicators into account, ranging from levels of violent crime to UN deployments overseas, and from political instability for risk of terrorist attacks.

On a scale of five for 'potential for terrorist acts', India was given a worrying score of four.

Also, on the parameter of 'ease of access to weapons of minor destruction', India's score was four out of five, according to EIU analysts.

While the survey gave an encouraging 9.6 out of 10 to India for its electoral process, which provided many options and freedom to voters to exercise their franchise, it ranked the country at a disappointing 3.5 out of 10 in terms of the level of corruption prevalent.

Iceland emerged as the world's most peaceful country but Iraq was the most violent, the annual study said.

 "The world appears to be a marginally more peaceful place this year. This is encouraging, but it takes small steps by individual countries for the world to make greater strides on the road to peace," GPI founder Steve Killelea said.

The index was launched last year, and this year lists 140 countries in terms of a variety of factors reflecting both domestic peacefulness and their international relations.