(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Oct 9 (IANS) India's rise to the 38th position in the 2025 Global Innovation Index (GII) cemented the country's position as a top innovator among lower-middle-income economies and first in Central and Southern Asia, according to a media report.

The report by the Times of Oman called it a“national pride” and stated that“innovation is now integral to India's economic identity”.

“India is no longer an aspirant but an active participant in the global innovation race,” said the report, citing the country's successes in ICT services exports, late-stage venture capital deals, and unicorn valuations, beyond its growth in innovation.

The report highlighted India's rise in the GII is“a story of consistency and resilience”.

“From its 48th rank in 2020, India has improved steadily each year, defying global uncertainties. In 2025, it reached 38th place, reflecting a decade-long upward trajectory that signals institutional and ecosystem maturity,” the report said.

The report stated that the country's surge in innovation is linked to the vision to build an“Atmanirbhar Bharat, global manufacturing hub, and Viksit Bharat”.

Policies like the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes and Make in India are enabling the country to move from low-value assembly to high-value, design-intensive, technology-driven manufacturing”.

Further, the report cited a“booming startup ecosystem, deep digital infrastructure, massive internet penetration, mobile adoption, and fintech innovation” behind India's innovation trajectory.

It stated that the country“is becoming more attractive for foreign investment in knowledge-intensive and technology-rich sectors”.

With the shifting global order,“India's rise in the innovation index gives it a strategic advantage in this transformation”, the report said, while noting that India is emerging as a partner of choice for countries in the Global South.

Emphasising India's steady ascent in the world order, the report said that the country“will also reshape the contours of the global innovation landscape”. The report called it the“beginning of a new era for India”, where innovation becomes the country's“enduring identity in the dynamic global eco-system”.

MENAFN09102025000231011071ID1110174104