India Jumps Four Places in Network Readiness Index 2025

India has made a notable jump in global digital performance by improving its position in the Network Readiness Index 2025. According to the report released on February 4, 2026, India climbed four places to rank 45th among 127 economies worldwide. Along with the ranking improvement, India’s overall score also increased from 53.63 in 2024 to 54.43 in 2025. The report highlights India’s growing strength in technology adoption, digital infrastructure, and innovation-led growth.

What Is the Network Readiness Index 2025?

• The Network Readiness Index 2025 evaluates how well countries use digital technologies for growth and development.
• The index is prepared by the Portulans Institute, an independent non-profit research organization.
• It assesses 127 economies based on four pillars Technology, People, Governance, and Impact using 53 indicators.
• The index provides a comprehensive picture of how effectively nations are leveraging networks, data, and digital tools in their economies and societies.

India’s Improved Rank and Score in NRI 2025

• India’s rise to the 45th rank in the Network Readiness Index 2025 reflects consistent improvement across multiple digital indicators.
• The country’s score increased to 54.43 out of 100, signalling stronger digital foundations compared to the previous year.
• The report also notes that India’s network readiness is higher than what would normally be expected at its income level, showing that digital progress is outpacing economic constraints.

India’s Top Global Rankings in Key Digital Indicators

• One of the biggest highlights of the NRI 2025 is India’s leadership in several critical indicators.
• India secured 1st rank globally in annual investment in telecommunication services, AI scientific publications, ICT services exports, and e-commerce legislation.
• These rankings underline India’s strong digital policy framework, innovation ecosystem, and export driven IT services sector.
• Such performance reflects India’s role as a global digital and technology services hub.

Strong Performance in Connectivity and Market Scale

• India also performed strongly in connectivity-related indicators.
• It ranked 2nd globally in FTTH/Building Internet subscriptions, mobile broadband internet traffic, and international internet bandwidth, highlighting rapid expansion of digital infrastructure.
• Additionally, India ranked 3rd in domestic market scale and income inequality indicator, pointing to the country’s vast digital user base and improving digital inclusion outcomes.

India Among Lower Middle-Income Economies

• The Network Readiness Index 2025 places India 2nd among lower-middle-income countries, reinforcing that India is punching above its economic weight in digital readiness.
• This shows how targeted policy interventions, private sector investment, and large-scale digital platforms have accelerated technology adoption.
• India’s performance serves as an example of how developing economies can leverage digital networks to drive inclusive growth.

List of Category Wise Performers

Category 1: Income Group wise Top 3 Countries

High Income

• USA (Rank 1)
• Finland (Rank 2)
• Singapore (Rank 3)

Upper-Middle Income

• China (24)
• Malaysia (38)
• Thailand (44)

Lower-Middle Income

• Viet Nam (40)
• India (45)
• Philippines (66)

Low Income

• Rwanda (87)
• Uganda (112)
• Malawi (116)

Category 2: Region wise Top 3 Countries

• Africa: Mauritius (58), South Africa (69), Kenya (77)
• Arab States: UAE (26), Saudi Arabia (34), Bahrain (36)
• Asia & Pacific: Singapore (3), Republic of Korea (10), Japan (11)
• CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States): Russian Federation (56), Armenia (62), Kazakhstan (65)
• Europe: Finland (2), Denmark (4), Sweden (5)
• Americas: USA (1), Canada (12), Costa Rica (42)

Category 3: Overall Global Ranking (Top 5)

1. USA – Score 79.13
2. Finland – 75.82
3. Singapore – 75.46
4. Denmark – 75.14
5. Sweden – 75.09

Why Network Readiness Matters

• Network readiness measures a country’s ability to use digital networks for economic, social, and governance outcomes.
• High readiness supports innovation, efficient public services, e-commerce growth, and global competitiveness.
• For a country like India, improving network readiness is crucial for supporting startups, digital public infrastructure, AI research, and global IT exports, making it a key long-term development indicator.

Question

Q. India’s rank in the Network Readiness Index 2025 is,

A. 41st
B. 45th
C. 49th
D. 52nd