Why in the News?

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has released the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025.

About the Global Innovation Index (GII):

Overview: Annual ranking of 139 economies by their innovation capacity and success.
Publishers: Jointly by Cornell University, INSEAD, and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
Origin: First published in 2007.
Indicators: Uses 80+ metrics across 7 pillars.
Structure:
- Innovation Input Sub-Index: Institutions, human capital and research, infrastructure, market sophistication, business sophistication.
- Innovation Output Sub-Index: Knowledge and technology outputs, creative outputs.
Purpose: Helps governments evaluate how effectively R&D, education, and infrastructure are translated into innovation outcomes.

Global R&D growth: Slowed to 2.9% (2024) and 2.3% (2025 projection), down from 4.4% earlier; lowest since the 2010 financial crisis.
Top Performers: Switzerland (1st), Sweden (2nd), United States (3rd), followed by Republic of Korea, Singapore, United Kingdom, Finland, Netherlands, Denmark, and China (10th).
China: Surpassed Switzerland in knowledge and technology outputs; 2nd highest in R&D expenditure; world leader in patent filings.
Regional Trends: Europe dominates with 15 of top 25 economies; Southeast, East Asia and Oceania (SEAO) region has 6 economies in top 25.
India: Ranked 38th globally with a score of ~40.5; top among lower-middle income countries and in Central & Southern Asia.
- Strengths: Knowledge and technology outputs (22nd), market sophistication, and human capital and research.
- Weaknesses: Business sophistication, infrastructure, and institutions remain lagging.

[UPSC 2019] The Global Competitiveness Report is published by the:

Options:

(a) International Monetary Fund (b) United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (c) World Economic Forum * (d) World Bank