India Ranks 36 in Network Readiness Index

India has made notable progress in its ability to adopt and integrate frontier technologies, with its ranking improving significantly on the global network readiness index. According to the 2025 Technology and Innovation Report by UNCTAD, India ranks 36th out of 170 nations, marking a substantial improvement from its previous ranking of 48th in 2022. This progress is a result of multiple factors, including improvements in ICT deployment, research and development (R&D) activity, industrial capacity, and finance, with a particular emphasis on AI and nanotechnology. The report highlights that India is part of a group of developing countries outperforming expectations, and is also a key player in the field of artificial intelligence (AI).

Key Points

• India’s Global Ranking: India ranks 36th globally on the ‘Readiness for Frontier Technologies’ index, improving from 48th in 2022.
• Factors Considered: The index evaluates countries on factors such as Information and Communication Technology (ICT) deployment, skills, R&D, industrial capacity, and access to finance.

India’s Performance

• ICT: India ranks 99th in terms of ICT readiness.
• Skills: India ranks 113th in human capital, reflecting challenges in skill development.
• R&D: India performs exceptionally well in R&D, ranking 3rd globally.
• Industrial Capacity: India ranks 10th in industrial capacity, showcasing its manufacturing potential.
• Finance: India ranks 70th in terms of access to finance, indicating room for growth in financial infrastructure.

Improvement in Human Capital

• India, along with Bhutan, Morocco, Moldova, and Timor-Leste, has made strides in human capital development, mainly due to an increase in years of schooling and high-skill employment.

Outperformance in Technology Readiness

• Developing countries like India, China, Brazil, and the Philippines are outperforming expectations in terms of technology readiness, despite lower per capita GDPs.

AI Developments

• India’s prominence in AI is recognized, with strong contributions to AI-related scientific knowledge and a growing developer community.
• India has around 13 million developers, ranking second globally in terms of GitHub developers, after the United States.
• The country is also a significant contributor to Generative AI (GenAI) projects.

Private AI Investment

• India is ranked 10th globally in private investment in AI, with USD 1.4 billion in 2023, trailing China and the United States.

AI’s Role in Job Creation and Economic Growth

• While AI might displace some jobs, it has the potential to create new industries and employment opportunities. The report emphasizes the need for reskilling and upskilling to adapt the workforce for an AI-driven future.

Strategic Policy Measures

• India has launched initiatives such as the India AI Mission to strengthen its AI ecosystem by promoting education and reducing barriers to AI programs, particularly in smaller cities.