WIPO Releases Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025

On 16th September 2025, the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) released the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025, ranking Switzerland, Sweden, the United States of America, the Republic of Korea, and Singapore as the top five innovative economies.

China entered the top 10 for the first time, alongside the United Kingdom, Finland, the Netherlands, and Denmark.

Key Points

Indicators: Now in its 18th edition, the GII evaluates nearly 140 economies using 80 indicators, including R&D spending, venture capital (VC) deals, high-tech exports, and intellectual property filings.
Rising Middle-Income Economies: China (10th), India (38th), Türkiye (43rd), Vietnam (44th), the Philippines (50th), Indonesia (55th), and Morocco (57th) continue their upward climb.
Fastest Climbers: Since 2020, Saudi Arabia (46th), Qatar (48th), Brazil (52nd), Mauritius (53rd), Bahrain (62nd), and Jordan (65th) have advanced rapidly.
Overperformers: Seventeen low- and middle-income economies exceed expectations, with India and Vietnam as the longest-running overperformers.
Sub-Saharan Leaders: South Africa (61st), Senegal (89th), and Rwanda (104th) stand out among the region’s innovation performers.
R&D Growth: Global R&D growth slowed to 2.9% in 2024 (from 4.4%) and is projected to decline further to 2.3% in 2025.