Reports, Indices & Rankings (October 2025 )

1. Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025

Published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the 2025 index highlighted India's rapid ascent in the "Knowledge Economy."

• The Rank: India climbed to 38th position among 139 economies (improving from 48th in 2020).
• Key Strength: India retained its 1st rank among lower-middle-income economies and led the Central and Southern Asia region.
• The "Unicorn" Factor: India was recognized as the world's 3rd largest innovation ecosystem, fueled by a surge in digital public infrastructure and patent filings (now 6th globally).

2. Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2025

Released by Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide, this report provided a sobering contrast to India's economic growth.

• The Rank: India was ranked 102nd out of 123 countries, placing it in the "Serious" hunger category with a score of 25.8.
• Stark Reality: Despite a slight improvement from its 105th rank in 2024, India's child wasting rate (18.7%) remained one of the highest in the world, underscoring persistent challenges in maternal and child nutrition.

3. QS Asia University Rankings 2026

Released in October 2025, this report showcased a "Relative Decline" despite absolute growth in research output.

• Top Performer: IIT Delhi remained India's highest-ranked institution, though it slipped to 59th (from 44th in 2025) due to intense competition from China and Singapore.
• The Trends: Nine out of India's top 10 universities saw their ranks dip.
• Silver Lining: India now has the second-highest representation in Asia (294 universities), and Shoolini University was ranked #1 in Asia for Citations per Paper, indicating high-quality research impact.

4. Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index 2025

This index evaluates the retirement income systems of 52 countries, representing 65% of the world’s population.

• The Rank: India ranked 52nd (last position) with an overall grade of 'D'.
• Challenges: The report cited significant weaknesses in the "Adequacy" sub-index, suggesting the need for broader coverage of the unorganized sector and better minimum pension benefits.
• Top Tier: The Netherlands, Iceland, and Denmark took the top spots.

5. WJP Rule of Law Index 2025

Published by the World Justice Project, this report tracks adherence to legal principles worldwide.

• The Rank: India slipped to 86th position (from 79th), with a score of 0.49.
• Context: The decline was attributed to challenges in "Fundamental Rights" and "Civil Justice," though India still ranked significantly higher than neighbors like Pakistan (130th) and China (92nd).

6. Global Hunger Index (GII) 2025

• Release Date: October 16, 2025.
• India's Rank: 102nd out of 123 countries.
• Score: 25.8 (Category: Serious).
• Note: While India improved from 105th (2024), its child wasting rate of 18.7% is the second-highest in the report.

7. Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025

• Release Date: Late September/October 2025 (WIPO).
• India's Rank: 38th among 139 economies.
• Key Achievement: India climbed 10 spots from 48th (2020) and leads the lower-middle-income group globally.
• Top Clusters: Bengaluru (21st), Delhi (26th), and Mumbai (46th) are in the world's top 50 innovation clusters.

8. WJP Rule of Law Index 2025

• Release Date: October 28, 2025.
• India's Rank: 86th out of 143 countries.
• Score: 0.49 (A decline of 1.7% from the previous year).
• Context: Globally, 68% of countries saw a decline. India ranks 3rd in South Asia, behind Nepal (72nd) and Sri Lanka.

9. QS Asia University Rankings 2026

• Release Date: November 4, 2025 (Advanced copies circulated in late Oct).
• India's Performance: 294 universities ranked (India is the 2nd most represented nation in Asia).
• Top Institute: IIT Delhi (59th), followed by IISc Bengaluru (64th).
• Trend: Most top IITs saw a slight rank dip due to increased international competition, despite improving their absolute research scores.

10. Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index 2025

• Release Date: October 15, 2025.
• India's Rank: 52nd (Last Position among 52 systems).
• Grade: 'D' (Score: 43.8).
• Weakness: The "Adequacy" sub-index (34.7) remains the weakest link, highlighting low pension coverage for informal workers.

11. Human Development Index (HDI) 2025

• India's Rank: 130th out of 193 countries.
• HDI Value: 0.685 (Category: Medium Human Development).
• Progress: Life expectancy at birth reached 72 years, a record high for India.

12. Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025

• Rank: 38th (out of 139 economies).
• Change: A jump from 48th (2020) and 39th (2024).
• Status: India remains the 1st ranked economy in the lower-middle-income group and the top performer in Central and Southern Asia.
• Innovation Clusters: Bengaluru (21st), Delhi (26th), and Mumbai (46th) are now listed in the world’s top 50 innovation clusters.

13. Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2025

• Rank: 102nd (out of 123 countries).
• Score: 25.8 (Category: Serious).
• Comparison: A slight improvement from 105th in 2024.
• Concern: India’s child wasting rate (18.7%) is the second-highest globally in this report, though child mortality has shown steady improvement.

14. QS Asia University Rankings 2026

• Release Date: Released November 4, 2025 (Data effective Oct 2025).
• Performance: India is the 2nd most represented nation in Asia with 294 universities.
• Top Institutes: * IIT Delhi: Rank 59th (Top in India).
  • IISc Bengaluru: Rank 64th.
  • IIT Madras: Rank 70th.
• Trend: While India has more universities ranked than ever, several top-tier IITs saw a slight rank slip due to intensifying competition from Chinese and Singaporean institutions.

15. WJP Rule of Law Index 2025

• Rank: 86th (out of 143 countries).
• Score: 0.49 (A 1.7% decline from the previous year).
• Regional Context: India ranks 3rd in South Asia, behind Nepal (72nd) and Sri Lanka. The decline was primarily noted in factors like Civil Justice and Fundamental Rights.

16. Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index 2025

• Rank: 52nd (Last position among the 52 countries studied).
• Grade: 'D' (Score: 43.8).
• The Problem: The index highlighted "Adequacy" (34.7) as the weakest link, citing poor income replacement for retirees in the unorganized sector.

17. Human Development Index (HDI) 2025

• Rank: 130th (out of 193 countries).
• HDI Value: 0.685 (Category: Medium Human Development).
• Key Positive: Life expectancy at birth reached a record high of 72 years following strong post-pandemic healthcare recovery.