Global Innovation Index (GII)
GII = Global Innovation Index- How often
- Each new editionOnce a year
- Last released
- 29 Sep 20262026
2026, the same as in 2025.
Events on this chart
Source: WIPO, released 29 Sep 2026 · Chart: Clarity UPSC
- Previous
- 38 of 1392025
- Highest
- 40 of 1322023
- Lowest
- 38 of 1392025
4 readings since 2023.
Story
India's rank on innovation inputs and outputs.
What is happening now As of 2026
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) ranks India 38th of 139 economies in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2026, the same rank as in 2025. India is 1st among 36 lower-middle-income economies and 1st among 11 economies in Central and Southern Asia. Allowing for statistical uncertainty, WIPO puts India's rank between 34th and 39th.
Both halves of the index improved: India rose from 52nd to 49th on innovation inputs and from 32nd to 25th on innovation outputs. WIPO says India produces more innovation outputs than its investment in innovation would suggest, and performs above expectations for its level of development. India's strongest areas are knowledge and technology outputs (15th) and market sophistication (35th); its weakest are business sophistication (63rd), infrastructure (62nd) and institutions (60th). India ranks 1st in the world for exports of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services as a share of total trade.
Why it matters
Innovation raises productivity: new products, technologies and ways of working let people produce more and earn more. The Global Innovation Index (GII) looks at both what a country puts into innovation (institutions, skills and research, infrastructure, finance and business links) and what comes out of it (knowledge, technology and creative work).
Because it uses about 80 indicators, the index shows where a country is strong and where it lags, for example in the number of researchers or in finance for start-ups. The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) also compares each economy with others at the same income level, so a lower-middle-income country such as India can see whether it does better or worse than its income would suggest.
What it is
The Global Innovation Index (GII) ranks economies on their capacity for innovation and on its results. The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the United Nations agency for intellectual property based in Geneva, publishes it every year.
It uses about 80 indicators in two sub-indices. The Innovation Input Sub-Index has five pillars: Institutions, Human capital and research, Infrastructure, Market sophistication and Business sophistication. The Innovation Output Sub-Index has two: Knowledge and technology outputs, and Creative outputs. Each pillar has three sub-pillars.
Rank 1 is the most innovative economy, so a lower rank number is better. WIPO also compares each economy with others at a similar income level. India's output rank has been better than its input rank in every edition since 2020.
Read this number
Terms on this page (3)
- ICT
- Information and Communication Technology
- UNDP
- United Nations Development Programme
- WIPO
- World Intellectual Property Organization
History
- 2007The Global Innovation Index (GII) begins as a magazine article.
- 2020India ranks 48th.
- 2022India enters the top 40, at 40th.
- 2026The GII 2026, 'Powering Entrepreneurs at the Frontier of Science', covers 139 economies. India is 1st among 36 lower-middle-income economies.
Readings
| Period | Value | Status | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 38 of 139 | Final | 29 Sep 2026 |
| 2025 | 38 of 139 | Final | 1 Sep 2025 |
| 2024 | 39 of 133 | Final | 1 Sep 2024 |
| 2023 | 40 of 132 | Final | 1 Sep 2023 |
For UPSC
The publisher is the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a United Nations agency. Know the structure: two sub-indices, five input pillars and two output pillars. India rose from 48th in 2020 into the top 40 by 2022.