Global Innovation Index (GII) 2026

Why in News?

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) released the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2026, highlighting the growing role of artificial intelligence in reviving venture capital funding and research and development (R&D) spending. India ranked 38th among 139 economies, while Switzerland retained the first position.

About the Global Innovation Index (GII)

The Global Innovation Index is published annually by WIPO to assess and rank economies according to their innovation ecosystems. It serves as a benchmark for policymakers, business leaders and researchers to understand the factors driving innovation across countries.

The GII 2026 evaluates 139 economies using 79 indicators covering areas such as research and development, high-technology trade, skilled employment, intellectual property licensing and foreign direct investment in research.

The index comprises two sub-indices:

• Innovation Input Sub-Index: Covers institutions, human capital and research, infrastructure, market sophistication and business sophistication.
• Innovation Output Sub-Index: Covers knowledge and technology outputs and creative outputs.

A new indicator introduced in GII 2026 measures greenfield R&D and high-technology foreign direct investment based on announced investment projects.

Key Findings of GII 2026

Top-ranked economies

• Switzerland — 1st
• Sweden — 2nd
• United States — 3rd
• Republic of Korea and Singapore — among the leading five economies
• China — 10th
• India — 38th

Emerging innovation economies: India and Viet Nam have remained consistent innovation overperformers for 16 consecutive years. Other economies climbing the rankings include Türkiye, the Philippines, Morocco and Indonesia, while Brazil, Mauritius, Saudi Arabia and Qatar are also showing upward trajectories.

Global R&D expenditure: Global R&D spending grew by more than 3.3% in real terms in 2025 and is projected to grow by 3.6% in 2026, reaching $3.4 trillion. Growth is increasingly evident in middle-income economies, including Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia and Viet Nam.

Corporate R&D: Corporate R&D expenditure reached a record $1.5 trillion in 2025, growing by 5.8% in real terms. Software and AI companies, along with defence-related research, were major drivers of this growth.

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