About the Index
The Global Innovation Index (GII) is published annually by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a specialised agency of the United Nations headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. First published in 2007, the GII provides detailed metrics on the innovation performance of economies worldwide, covering 139 economies in the 2025 edition.
Methodology
The GII is calculated as the average of two sub-indices:
| Sub-Index | Pillars | What It Measures |
|---|---|---|
| Innovation Input | 5 pillars | Resources and conditions that enable innovation |
| Innovation Output | 2 pillars | Actual results of innovative activities |
The 7 pillars are:
Input pillars:
- Institutions (political, regulatory, business environment)
- Human capital and research (education, R&D)
- Infrastructure (ICT, energy, logistics)
- Market sophistication (credit, investment, trade)
- Business sophistication (knowledge workers, innovation linkages, knowledge absorption)
Output pillars: 6. Knowledge and technology outputs (patents, knowledge creation, knowledge impact) 7. Creative outputs (intangible assets, creative goods and services, online creativity)
Innovation Efficiency Ratio = Output sub-index / Input sub-index. Countries that produce more innovation output relative to their input level are called “innovation overperformers”.
India’s Performance
India ranks 38th out of 139 economies, up from 39th in 2024. India has risen dramatically from 81st in 2015 to 38th in 2025 — a jump of 43 positions in a decade.
Key Strengths (India’s Best Pillar Ranks)
| Indicator | India’s Global Rank |
|---|---|
| ICT services exports | 1st |
| Late-stage venture capital deals | 4th |
| Intangible asset intensity | 8th |
| Unicorn valuation | 11th |
| Science & engineering graduates | Top 20 |
| Domestic market scale | Top 5 |
Historical Trend
| Year | Rank | Countries |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 81 | 141 |
| 2017 | 60 | 127 |
| 2019 | 52 | 129 |
| 2020 | 48 | 131 |
| 2021 | 46 | 132 |
| 2022 | 40 | 132 |
| 2023 | 40 | 132 |
| 2024 | 39 | 133 |
| 2025 | 38 | 139 |
Innovation Overperformer Status
India has been classified as an innovation overperformer for 15 consecutive years (2011-2025) — meaning it consistently produces more innovation output than expected for its level of economic development. Only Vietnam shares this distinction.
Regional / BRICS Comparison
| Country | GII Rank (2025) | Income Group |
|---|---|---|
| China | 10 | Upper-middle |
| India | 38 | Lower-middle |
| Brazil | ~49 | Upper-middle |
| South Africa | ~59 | Upper-middle |
| Russia | ~55 | Upper-middle |
Key Highlights of Latest Edition
- Switzerland tops the GII for the 15th consecutive year with a score of 66.0, followed by Sweden (2nd), United States (3rd), Republic of Korea (4th), and Singapore (5th)
- China entered the top 10 for the first time, reaching 10th place — a remarkable rise from 35th in 2013
- Republic of Korea (4th) reached its highest rank ever
- Global innovation investment growth has slowed compared to the post-pandemic surge of 2021-2022
- The top 100 global innovation clusters include Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai from India
- AI, clean energy, and biotechnology are identified as the three key technology frontiers driving future innovation
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: India’s GII rank, WIPO HQ (Geneva), 7 pillars of GII, innovation overperformer concept, top performers, India’s top indicators (ICT exports rank 1) Mains GS-3: India’s innovation ecosystem — Start-up India, Atal Innovation Mission, National Research Foundation, Make in India, Digital India, R&D spending as % of GDP (currently ~0.7%, needs to reach 2%) Interview: “India ranks 1st in ICT services exports but only 38th overall in innovation — what bottlenecks prevent India from breaking into the top 20?”
