Fact Check: India’s standing in Global Indices

An infographic by the government claims that India improved its ranking on many global indices during the BJP rule. We fact check these claims.  

On the occasion of the 3^rd anniversary of the Narendra Modi led BJP government taking charge at the center, the Central Government has launched a dedicated website to highlight the achievements of these 3 years. One such infographic highlights India’s standing in various global indices and how India’s rank has improved during the BJP rule. This is a fact check on these claims.

Claim 1: India climbed 16 spots to 39th rank in the Global Competitiveness Index

This is a yearly index published by the World Economic Forum. The WEF defines competitiveness as the set of institutions, policies, and factors that determine the level of productivity of a country. The report also says that a more competitive economy is one that is likely to grow faster over time.

The infographic also claims that India’s jump by 16 spots is the highest leap by any country in the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Competitiveness Index 2016.

The claim that India climbed 16 spots is true. It is also true that this is the highest leap by any country in the 2016 rankings. The next biggest leap was by Albania that climbed 13 spots. Jamaica was next with a leap of 11 spots. This is also India’s best ranking in the recent years.

Claim 2: Climbed 12 spots to 40th rank in WEF’s Global Travel & Tourism Competitiveness list

The Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report was first published by WEF in 2007. Till 2009, this was a yearly report. After 2009, the list is being published once every two years. As per WEF, the index is a measurement of the factors that make it attractive to develop business in the travel and tourism industry of individual countries, rather than a measure of a country attractiveness as a tourist destination.

It is true that India climbed 12 spots to 40th rank in the 2017 rankings. India’s leap was second only to Azerbaijan that climbed by 13 spots. This is also India’s best rank ever in this list.

Claim 3: Climbed 19 spots to 35th rank in World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index 2016

The Logistics Performance Index is benchmarking tool created to help countries identify the challenges and opportunities they face in their performance on trade logistics and what they can do to improve their performance.  The LPI consists of both qualitative and quantitative measures and helps build profiles of logistics friendliness for these countries.  The index was first published in 2007 and then is being published every 2 years since 2010.

It is true that India climbed 19 spots to 35th rank in the LPI 2016. India’s rank was 39 in 2007, 47 in 2010, 46 in 2012 and 54 in 2014. It has to be noted that India’s rank of 54 in 2014 was its worst ever rank in this list.

Claim 4: Climbed 15 spots to 66^th Rank in Global Innovation Index 2016

The Global Innovation Index was launched by INSEAD in 2007 and is co-published by Cornell University, INSEAD, and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The index primarily deals with improving the journey towards a better way to measure and understand innovation and with identifying targeted policies and good practices that foster innovation.

While India did climb 15 spots to 66th rank in the 2016 index, India’s worst ever ranking of 81 was in 2015, also during the BJP’s rule. India is now back to its 2013 ranking of 66.

Claim 5: Improved ranking in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index 2016

Transparency International (TI) publishes the annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) since 1996, ranking countries by their perceived levels of corruption, as determined by expert assessments and opinion surveys.

Contrary to what was claimed by the government, India’s rank of 79 in 2016 was worse than its rank of 76 in 2015.  India has improved its score in 2016, but not ranking.

Claim 6: Climbed 21 spots to 87th Rank in WEF Global Gender Gap report 2016

The WEF Gender Gap Index ranks countries according to calculated gender gaps. The assumption is that women are strictly disadvantaged compared to men and as such, only measures where women are traditionally disadvantaged to men are used. The index is being published since 2006.

It is true that India has climbed 21 spots to 87th rank in the 2016 index. This is only the 2nd occasion when India was ranked below 100 since 2006. In 2006, India’s ranking was 98. India continues to score poorly on the sub-indices of Economic Participation & Opportunity, Educational Attainment and Health & Survival. India’s 87th rank is thanks to its 9^th rank in the Political empowerment sub-index.

Claim 7: Climbed to 8th rank in FDI Confidence Index

The Foreign Direct Investment Confidence Index is published by A.T. Kearney since 1998. It examines the overarching trends in FDI. The top 25 ranking is a forward-looking analysis of how political, economic, and regulatory changes will likely affect countries’ FDI inflows in the coming years.

While it is true that India climbed to 8th rank in the 2017 index, India worst ranking in the recent times was in 2015 (11th), also during the BJP rule. It also has to be noted that India’s best ever ranking on this index was 2nd and was achieved in 2005, 2007 and 2012. The UPA was in power on all these 3 occasions.