The National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Ayog, in partnership with the Institute for Competitiveness, launched the India Innovation Index 2019. Modeled on the Global Innovation Index, this index aims to enhance the Indian states’ and Union Territories’ (UTs) innovation ecosystem by guiding policy design that fosters innovation across the nation. It is paramount to comprehend the status of innovation at a regional level in a country as vast as India for effective policy formulation.
Understanding the Index
The index is not merely based on traditional innovation measuring standards such as patents per million people or GDP research spending percentage. It includes parameters specific to the Indian economy, like the demographic dividend, for a comprehensive coverage. The India Innovation Index 2019 is the average of two dimension scores – Enablers and Performance.
The Role of Enablers and Performance
Enablers scrutinize innovative capacities, encompassing Human Capital, Investment, Knowledge Workers, Business Environment, and Safety and Legal Environment. In contrast, Performance evaluates the benefits derived from these inputs, which are Knowledge Output and Knowledge Diffusion.
Main Discoveries from the Index
The index groups the states into three categories: Major states, North-East and hill states, Union territories/Small states. Karnataka topped the list of major states, followed by Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. Factors contributing to Karnataka’s top rank include superior performance in Infrastructure, Knowledge Workers, Knowledge Output, and Business Environment.
| Category | Top State | Second State | Third State |
|---|---|---|---|
| Major States | Karnataka | Tamil Nadu | Maharashtra |
| North-East and Hill States | Sikkim | Manipur | Arunachal Pradesh |
| Union Territories/Small States | Delhi | Lakshadweep | Goa |
Despite ranking third overall, Maharashtra excelled in the Enablers dimension, suggesting it has the most innovation-friendly environment.
Regional Innovation Highlights
The top ten major states primarily belong to southern and western India. In the North-Eastern states and Union territories category, Sikkim and Delhi hold the top positions, respectively. The most efficient in transforming inputs into output are Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh.
The most attractive state for investment among major states is Karnataka, with Bihar, Jharkhand, and Punjab ranking as the least attractive. Within the North-East and Hill States category, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, and Tripura lead; while Lakshadweep, Delhi, and Goa shine among the UTs.
Looking Ahead: Enhancing Innovation Capacity
To boost innovation outputs, there’s a need to expand and improve the capabilities of leading educational institutions. Fostering improved partnerships between academia and industry through increased R&D spending can enhance innovation prowess. Creating a platform that brings together innovators, researchers, and investors can consolidate industry-academia linkages, facilitating technology transfer by offering innovators an opportunity to display their inventions.
