New Delhi: India has made significant gains in global innovation, climbing to 38th position in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025 from 66th in 2019, reflecting steady progress in its innovation ecosystem, according to the Economic Survey.
The Survey attributed the rise to sustained government initiatives in manufacturing, research, startups and technology, which have helped position India as an emerging global hub for innovation and industrial growth. It noted that India now leads among lower-middle-income economies in innovation and ranks first in the Central and Southern Asia region.
A major contributor to this progress has been the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme, which has boosted domestic manufacturing, particularly in the smartphone sector. Several global mobile phone manufacturers have shifted production to India, strengthening its role as a key manufacturing base. As of September 2025, investments under the PLI scheme crossed ₹2 lakh crore, resulting in additional production and sales exceeding ₹18.70 lakh crore and generating employment for over 12.60 lakh people.
The Survey also highlighted India’s growing presence in global intellectual property. In 2024, the country ranked fourth worldwide in trademark filings, sixth in patents and seventh in industrial designs. Cities such as Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai feature among the world’s top 50 innovation clusters.
In addition, strong momentum was noted in the semiconductor sector, with ten manufacturing and packaging projects approved across six states by August 2025, involving investments of about ₹1.60 lakh crore. (Agencies)
