NEW DELHI. India has made strong progress in innovation, moving up to 38th rank in the Global Innovation Index 2025, from 66th in 2019, according to the Economic Survey. This improvement shows the steady growth of India’s innovation ecosystem, supported by government initiatives in manufacturing, research, startups and technology. India now leads among lower-middle-income countries in innovation and ranks first in the Central and Southern Asia region. Major cities like Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai are counted among the world’s top innovation hubs, and India’s overall innovation output has increased significantly.
The Economic Survey highlighted the key role of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme in strengthening domestic manufacturing, especially in mobile phone production. Many global companies now manufacture in India, making it a major production hub. By September 2025, investments under the PLI scheme crossed ₹2 lakh crore, resulting in production and sales worth over ₹18.70 lakh crore and creating jobs for more than 12.60 lakh people. India has also grown as a global leader in intellectual property, ranking high in patent, trademark and design filings, while making steady progress in the semiconductor sector with multiple projects approved across several states.
