India has retained 40th rank out of 132 economies in the Global Innovation Index 2023 rankings published by the World Intellectual Property Organization, government thinktank Niti Aayog said on Thursday.

India has been on a rising trajectory, over the past several years in the Global Innovation Index (GII), from a rank of 81 in 2015 to 40 in 2023.

Innovation has been at the forefront of India’s battle against the unprecedented crisis created by the pandemic and is pivotal in driving the country’s resilience, as enshrined in the prime minister’s clarion call on Atmanirbhar Bharat, the Aayog said.

The government thinktank said the consistent improvement in the GII ranking is owing to India’s immense knowledge capital, a vibrant startup ecosystem, and the amazing work done by public and private research organizations.

All government departments, including science and technology; biotechnology; space; atomic energy, and also other departments, such as electronics and IT, telecommunications, agricultural research and education and health research have played a pivotal role in enriching the national innovation ecosystem.

Most importantly, the Atal Innovation Mission has played a major role in expanding the innovation ecosystem.

Niti Aayog has been working to ensure optimization of national efforts for bringing policy-led innovation in different areas, such as electric vehicles, biotechnology, nanotechnology, space, alternative energy sources, etc.

The Aayog has also played a role in expanding the innovation ecosystem in states and districts. A constant thrust in monitoring and evaluating India’s position in the global rankings has been provided by the Niti Aayog, including in the GII.

The GII is a reliable tool for governments across the world to assess the innovation-led social and economic changes in their respective countries. Over the years, the GII has established itself as a policy tool for various governments and helped them to reflect upon the status quo.

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has also been collaborating in India’s journey towards an innovation-driven economy. This year, Niti Aayog, in partnership with the CII and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), is hosting, virtually, the India Launch of the GII 2023 on Friday.

The launch session will be attended by the Niti Aayog vice-chairman, Suman Bery; Niti Aayog member, Dr VK Saraswat; Niti Aayog CEO, BVR Subrahmanyam; and the WIPO director general, Daren Tang.