GII measures innovation performance of 139 economies through investment patterns, technological progress, adoption rates, and socioeconomic impacts.
- Launched in 2007, GII is recognized by the UN General Assembly as an authoritative reference for Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) policies.
Key Highlights of GII 2025
- India’s Rise: India’s rank rises to 38th position, a big leap from 81st in 2015.
- India along with Vietnam is the longest-standing overperformer, performing above expectation for their level of development for 15th year.
- Most Innovative Economies: Switzerland has been ranked first, followed by Sweden, USA, South Korea and Singapore.
- Top Innovation Clusters: Shenzhen–Hong Kong–Guangzhou (China and Hong Kong), followed by Tokyo-Yokohama (Japan), and San Jose-San Francisco (USA).
- India has four clusters in top 100: Bengaluru (21st), Delhi (26th), Mumbai (46th) and Chennai (84th).
India’s Initiatives for Improving Innovation
- Startup India Program: Provides handholding support for startups, funding through Fund of Funds, credit guarantee, tax exemptions etc.
- Atal Innovation Mission: Develop new programmes and policies for fostering innovation in different economic sectors.
- National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI): Umbrella programme for nurturing ideas into successful startups.
- Other: Accelerating Growth of New India's Innovations (AGNIi) Mission, NITI Frontier Tech Repository, Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship Scheme etc.
