Quick answer: India ranks 38th of 139 economies in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2026, which is published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). This is the same rank India held in 2025. India also comes first among the 36 lower-middle-income economies and first among the 11 economies of Central and Southern Asia.
Why the Global Innovation Index 2026 is in the news
WIPO’s GII 2026 report (citation date 29 September 2026) ranks 139 economies on innovation and lists the world’s top 100 innovation clusters. India’s WIPO country profile confirms that India is 38th overall. It is 49th on innovation inputs and 25th on innovation outputs, and both are better than its 2025 positions. Switzerland is first for the 16th year in a row, with Sweden second and the United States third. The report’s special theme this year is how deep-science start-ups turn frontier research into new industries.
Key facts about India in GII 2026
- Overall rank: 38th of 139. WIPO puts the statistical confidence range at ranks 34 to 39.
- Peer groups: India is 1st among lower-middle-income economies and 1st in Central and Southern Asia. Kazakhstan (73rd) is second in the region and Bhutan (74th) third.
- Overperformer: India and Viet Nam have done better than their income level would predict for 16 years in a row, the longest run of any economy.
- Strengths: India ranks 1st in ICT services exports, 4th in late-stage venture capital deals, 13th in intangible asset intensity and 15th in Knowledge and technology outputs.
- Weak spots: WIPO says India has relatively few researchers and scientific articles for its size.
- Clusters: four Indian cities are in the global top 100: Bengaluru (25th), Delhi (27th), Mumbai (43rd) and Chennai (79th). Chennai’s five-place rise was the biggest gain among them.
India’s GII rank over the years
| Year | Overall | Inputs | Outputs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 48th | 57th | 45th |
| 2021 | 46th | 57th | 45th |
| 2022 | 40th | 42nd | 39th |
| 2023 | 40th | 46th | 35th |
| 2024 | 39th | 44th | 33rd |
| 2025 | 38th | 52nd | 32nd |
| 2026 | 38th | 49th | 25th |
GII 2026: global leaders and how the index works
| Category | Leader(s) |
|---|---|
| Top 5 economies | Switzerland, Sweden, United States, Republic of Korea, Singapore |
| Income group leaders | Switzerland (high), China (upper-middle, 10th), India (lower-middle, 38th), Rwanda (low, 96th) |
| Top cluster | Shenzhen–Hong Kong–Guangzhou, followed by Tokyo–Yokohama and San Jose–San Francisco |
| Neighbours | Bhutan 74th, Pakistan 95th, Nepal 104th, Bangladesh 105th |
Framework: The GII has two equally weighted sub-indices. The Input Sub-Index has five pillars: Institutions, Human capital and research, Infrastructure, Market sophistication and Business sophistication. The Output Sub-Index has two pillars: Knowledge and technology outputs, and Creative outputs. Each pillar has three sub-pillars, and the 2026 edition uses 79 indicators in total. The index began in 2007 as a project with INSEAD. WIPO became co-publisher in 2011 and has been the sole publisher since 2021.
About WIPO: WIPO is one of the 15 specialised agencies of the United Nations. It is headquartered in Geneva, has 194 member states, and its Director General is Daren Tang of Singapore.
WIPO’s view on India is that its rise has been driven by digital services, venture capital and start-ups. To move further up, it needs to spread research, technology adoption and firm-level innovation beyond those leading sectors.
Exam angle: how NDA, CDS and CAPF can ask this
- India’s rank in global indices is a common current-affairs question in the CDS and CAPF papers. Remember 38th of 139, unchanged from 2025.
- Questions often ask which organisation publishes an index. The GII is published by WIPO, which is headquartered in Geneva.
- Expect statement-type questions on the five input and two output pillars.
- Indian cities in the top 100 innovation clusters (Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai) can appear in options.
Practice MCQs
Q1. India’s overall rank in the Global Innovation Index 2026 is:
(a) 39th (b) 40th (c) 38th (d) 35th
Answer: (c) India is 38th of 139 economies, the same as in 2025.
Q2. The Global Innovation Index is published by:
(a) World Economic Forum (b) WIPO (c) UNCTAD (d) World Bank
Answer: (b) WIPO, a UN specialised agency based in Geneva, publishes the GII.
Q3. Which Indian cluster ranks highest in the GII 2026 list of top 100 innovation clusters?
(a) Delhi (b) Mumbai (c) Chennai (d) Bengaluru
Answer: (d) Bengaluru is 25th, followed by Delhi at 27th.
Q4. Which of these is a pillar of the GII Output Sub-Index?
(a) Institutions (b) Infrastructure (c) Creative outputs (d) Market sophistication
Answer: (c) The two output pillars are Knowledge and technology outputs, and Creative outputs.
Frequently asked questions
What is India’s rank in the Global Innovation Index 2026?
India is 38th among 139 economies. It leads the lower-middle-income group and the Central and Southern Asia region.
Which country tops the GII 2026?
Switzerland is first for the 16th year in a row. Sweden is second and the United States third.
Has India improved in GII 2026?
India’s overall rank is the same as in 2025, but it has moved up on both sub-indices: inputs from 52nd to 49th and outputs from 32nd to 25th.
How many Indian cities are among the top 100 innovation clusters?
Four: Bengaluru (25th), Delhi (27th), Mumbai (43rd) and Chennai (79th).
How many indicators does the GII 2026 use?
It uses 79 indicators, grouped into seven pillars and 21 sub-pillars.
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Sources: WIPO, GII 2026, GII 2026 results, GII 2026 cluster ranking, WIPO India country profile, GII framework (Appendix I). Facts as reported up to 8 November 2026.
Featured image background (representative): Emmanuel Berrod / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
