The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a specialised agency of the United Nations, released the Global Innovation Index (GII) report for the year 2022 on Thursday, September 29. In its annual ranking of the world’s economies on innovation capacity and output, India secured the 40th rank, entering the Top 40 for the very first time. This is a sharp jump from the 46th spot in 2021, and 81st rank on the list in 2015.
Switzerland, the United States, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands are the world’s most-innovative economies, according to the report.
“India is the innovation leader in the lower middle-income group. It continues to lead the world in ICT (information and communications technology – or technologies) services exports and holds top rankings in other indicators, including venture capital receipt value, finance for startups and scaleups, graduates in science and engineering, labour productivity growth and domestic industry diversification.,” the report mentioned, in its section for Central and South Asian countries.
There were dedicated sections for Northern America, Europe, South East Asia, East Asia, and Oceania and Northern Africa and Western Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean and Continental Sub-Saharan Africa.
‘Our govt working towards science-based development…’
Recently, at the Centre-State Science Conclave, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a virtual address had acknowledged India’s jump on the GII report in the past years. He said, “After 2014, investment in science and technology increased exponentially. Our government is working towards science-based development.”
Drawing parallels between the contributions of world-renowned scientists like Albert Einstein, Nikola Tesla and those who hailed from India, including CV Raman, PM Modi said, “Our bright minds have always made us proud and Indian scientists are doing wonders. When we celebrate scientists and their innovations, science will become a part of our culture,” he had said.
