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Global Innovation Index

WIPO's annual measure of innovation inputs and outputs.

Written by Pratidin; every fact checked by a separate review before publishing. How we work

Annual.

Practise this in the app: flashcards, quiz and a timed answer
Prelims

Quick recall

Who publishes the GII?
WIPO.
How many sub-indices?
Two: input and output.
How many pillars?
Seven.
How many indicators, roughly?
About 80.
Which country has usually topped it?
Switzerland.
Where is WIPO based?
Geneva.

Asked before in UPSC

Recurring theme: India's innovation ecosystem: R&D, patents and commercialisation

Mains
  1. 2026 · GS3 · 15 marks

    How are startups in India promoting entrepreneurship, innovation and employment? Discuss the global and domestic challenges in their working and suggest suitable measures to overcome these challenges.

    India's GII rank and its strengths in knowledge and technology outputs provide data for assessing the startup ecosystem.

  2. 2024 · GS3 · 10 marks

    What is the present world scenario of intellectual property rights with respect to life materials? Although, India is second in the world to file patents, still only a few have been commercialized. Explain the reasons behind this less commercialization.

    The Global Innovation Index separates innovation inputs from outputs, which helps explain India's gap between patent filing and commercialisation.

  3. 2014 · GS3 · 12.5 marks

    Scientific research in Indian universities is declining, because a career in science is not as attractive as business professions, engineering or administration, and the universities are becoming consumer-oriented. Critically comment.

    GII input pillars such as human capital and research give a benchmark for the state of university research in India.

The basics

Why it matters

The Global Innovation Index ranks economies on innovation capacity and results, published annually by WIPO.

2
Sub-indices of the GII
Published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

What it measures

The index combines several components.

Global Innovation Index
  1. 1Input sub-indexInstitutions, human capital, infrastructure, market and business sophistication
  2. 2Output sub-indexKnowledge, technology and creative outputs
  3. 3PillarsSeven pillars in total
  4. 4IndicatorsAbout 80 indicators

You now know

  • Published by WIPO since 2007 (with partners).
  • Two sub-indices: inputs and outputs.
  • Seven pillars and about 80 indicators.
  • Switzerland has topped it for many years.

Go deeper

In one line: The GII measures how well economies turn ideas into innovation.

Why it matters for UPSC

It connects to R&D spending and the Innovation ecosystem.

The core idea

Innovation needs institutions, skills and markets as inputs, and produces patents, products and creative goods.

Where to go next

In one line: India has risen in the GII but R&D spending remains low at under 1% of GDP.

Strengths

ICT services exports, startups, Innovation ecosystem.

Weaknesses

Private R&D and institutions.

Where to go next

R&D spending

Money spent on research

In one line: Gross expenditure on R&D measures money spent on research.

India

Under 1% of GDP, mostly by government.

Response

Anusandhan National Research Foundation (2023).

Where to go next

Innovation ecosystem

Startups, universities and industry

In one line: An innovation ecosystem links startups, universities, investors and government.

India

One of the largest startup ecosystems.

Support

Startup India and Atal Innovation Mission.

Where to go next

  • R&D spending: Money spent on research

Prelims-style quiz

  1. The Global Innovation Index is published by:

    1. UNESCO
    2. WIPO
    3. WTO
    4. World Bank
    Show answer

    Answer: (b) WIPO. WIPO.

  2. Consider the following:
    1. The GII has input and output sub-indices.
    2. It has seven pillars.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Show answer

    Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2. Both correct.

  3. Which country has topped the GII for many years?

    1. USA
    2. Switzerland
    3. Sweden
    4. Singapore
    Show answer

    Answer: (b) Switzerland. Switzerland.

  4. NITI Aayog's State-level counterpart is the:

    1. Good Governance Index
    2. SDG India Index
    3. India Innovation Index
    4. Ease of Living Index
    Show answer

    Answer: (c) India Innovation Index. India Innovation Index.

Syllabus

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