Global Innovation Index: India’s Journey Highlights

India has climbed to the 40th position on the latest Global Innovation Index (GII). Released by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), GII ranks 132 countries around the world based on their capability to induce innovation-based growth. Governments around the globe use the metrics from Global Innovation Index to analyze the scope of social and economic change to drive innovation and growth in the country.

Switzerland, Sweden, and the US dominate the top three positions in the GII. Over the years, India’s rank has improved in the index from 81st in 2015 to 46th in 2021. Find the latest GII ranking list, and more information about it is shared below.

What is Global Innovation Index?

Global Innovation Index is a marker of innovative progress for 132 countries worldwide. This ranking is conducted annually by the World Intellectual Property Organization. Through this ranking, governments can determine the pace of progress in their respective countries. Each year, 132 countries compete to bag the top position in GII to indicate their innovation-driven growth.

The Global Innovation Index ranking was started by INSEAD and World Business in 2007. GII has around 80 indicators, which are used to determine where a country stands in terms of innovation. Some of these indicators include education, politics, corporate sophistication, infrastructure, human resource, etc.

GII Highlights

• Switzerland, Sweden, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Korea are the top five countries in the GII.
• India has gone up from 46th rank in 2021 to 40th rank in 2022.
• The index reveals that "a progressive eastward shift in the locus of innovation" is underway, with several Asian economies climbing the rankings.
• China, India, the Philippines, and Vietnam are the Asian economies that have made the most progress on the index in recent years, with all four currently ranking in the top 50.
• India has consistently improved its innovation ranking over the last five years, making it one of the Central and Southern Asian innovators.
• China, the only middle-income country, is ranked 11th this year.

Global Innovation Index 2022 Ranking List

In the 15th edition of the Global Innovation Index, Switzerland, the United States, and Sweden have again grabbed the first three ranks. Here is the complete list of top 10 countries on the GII:

Global Innovation Index - 2021 vs 2022 Ranks

Compare the Global Innovation Index ranking of the years 2021 and 2022 from the table given below:

Global Innovation Index 2022 India Rank

India's position in the Global Innovation Index has steadily improved in recent years. The country dropped from 81st place in 2015 to 46th in 2021. This year, India has gone 6 places up to bag the 40th position in the Global Innovation Index. India has now become the leader in lower middle income countries, overtaking Vietnam.

According to the Global Innovation Index (GII) study, India (at 46) climbs up two spots (to 48 in GII 2020) after breaking into the top 50 in 2022. In the lower-middle-income group, India is now on the first rank. The country has seen some significant progress in the last few years on the innovation front and is a leader in the following Global Innovation Index indicators:

• ICT services exports
• Venture capital recipients’ value
• Finance for startups and scaleups
• Graduates in science and engineering
• Labor productivity growth
• Domestic industry diversification

What led to the rise of India in the Global Innovation Index?

• The enormous intellectual capital, the thriving start-up environment, and the great work done by commercial and public research institutes have contributed to India's constant growth in the GII ranking.
• India's scientific departments, such as the Department of Biotechnology, the Department of Atomic Energy, the Department of Space, and the Department of Science and Technology, have contributed significantly to the National Innovation Ecosystem's enrichment.
• India has demonstrated its ability to offer complex services both technologically active and tradeable worldwide.
• The country ranks first in the world in terms of information and communication technology services exports (1), as well as other indices such as science and engineering graduates (12) and domestic industry diversification (12).

FAQs on Global Innovation Index

Q1. What is the Global Innovation Index?

Global Innovation Index (GII) evaluates the innovation-driven growth of 132 countries worldwide and ranks them based on several growth indicators. These rankings help governments make socio-economic decisions focusing on growth and innovation.

Q2. Global Innovation Index is released by which organisation?

The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) releases the Global Innovation Index in collaboration with the Portulans Institute, and several other academic partners. GII was founded in 2007 by INSEAD and World Business.

Q3. What is India’s rank in the Global Innovation Index 2022?

This year, Global Innovation Index 2022 India rank is 40th. As compared to last year, India has jumped up 6 positions. Overall, India has seen steady growth in Global Innovation Index. In 2015, the country’s rank was 81st, and this year, it is leading the low middle income group.

Q4. What are the Global Innovation Index indicators?

There are 80 different Global Innovation Index indicators, based on which the rank of a country is decided. Some of these indicators include the infrastructure of the country, human resources, business sophistication, education, politics, corporate sophistication, etc.

Q5. Which country is top on the Global Innovation Index 2022 ranking list?

The top country on the Global Innovation Index 2022 is Switzerland. The GII ranking trends show Switzerland, Sweden, the United States, the UK, and the Netherlands compete for the top 5 places on the Global Innovation Index every year.