Why in news?
The Portulans Institute released the Network Readiness Index 2025 on 4 February 2026. News reports noted that India climbed four places to 45th among 127 economies, reflecting improvements in digital infrastructure, skills and policy frameworks. The index assesses countries on how prepared they are to leverage information and communication technologies (ICT) for economic and social progress.
Background
The Network Readiness Index (NRI) is a composite indicator created by the Washington DC‑based Portulans Institute. It evaluates nations across four pillars: Technology (infrastructure and innovation), People (digital skills and usage), Governance (regulations and trust) and Impact (economic and social effects). Each pillar comprises multiple indicators, and the results allow comparisons across income groups and regions.
Highlights of India’s performance
- Rank 45: India rose from 49th place in 2024 to 45th in 2025, with an overall score of 54.43. This improvement reflects gains in internet penetration, broadband subscriptions and digital governance.
- Top rankings: India secured first place globally in several indicators: annual investment in telecommunication services, number of AI scientific publications, ICT services exports and the presence of e‑commerce legislation.
- Other notable positions: The country ranked second in fibre‑to‑the‑home (FTTH) subscriptions per capita, mobile broadband traffic and international internet bandwidth. It ranked third in domestic market scale and income equality among lower‑middle‑income economies.
- Above‑expectation performance: The report observes that India’s network readiness exceeds what would be expected for its income level, indicating effective policy prioritisation and institutional capacity.
Global context
- Top performers: The United States, Finland, Singapore, Denmark and Sweden were the five most network‑ready societies in the 2025 report.
- Emerging economies: India, China, Vietnam, Kenya and the Philippines were noted for outperforming expectations by combining scale with strategic focus on digital transformation.
- Importance of governance: The index emphasises that robust regulation, data protection and trust are essential for converting technological resources into positive societal impact.
Significance
- Policy evaluation: The NRI helps governments assess progress in digital readiness and benchmark themselves against peers.
- Investment guide: The rankings signal to investors where digital ecosystems are flourishing, influencing decisions on technology deployment.
- Path ahead: For India, continued improvement will depend on expanding rural connectivity, enhancing digital skills and fostering innovation while ensuring strong governance.
Source: PIB
