India’s Leap in Global Innovation

Why in News?India has shown remarkable progress, climbing to the 38th position in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025, released by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). This marks a significant rise from its 48th rank in 2020. This consistent improvement highlights the nation’s efforts to become a major player in the global innovation ecosystem.

Global Innovation Leaders

• Switzerland maintains its top position, followed by Sweden and the United States, showcasing a stable innovation landscape in developed economies.
• In a notable development, China has entered the top 10 for the first time, securing the 10th spot due to its strong performance in patent filings and R&D spending.

India’s Innovation Strengths and Challenges

• India’s impressive ascent is fueled by its performance in Knowledge & Technology Outputs, where it ranks 22nd. This is driven by a vibrant startup ecosystem, robust ICT service exports, and a flourishing venture capital landscape.
• The country also shows strength in Market Sophistication. However, it still faces hurdles in Business Sophistication and Infrastructure, which are key areas for future improvement.
• India’s rise in the GII is a testament to its sustained focus on promoting innovation and creating a supportive environment for startups and research. Initiatives like the Atal Innovation Mission and Startup India have played a crucial role in nurturing a culture of innovation.

India’s Strategy to Harness Geothermal Energy

Why in News? Indian government introduced the National Policy on Geothermal Energy (2025), a significant move to diversify its clean energy portfolio and accelerate its journey towards the Net Zero 2070 target. This policy is set to unlock India’s vast, untapped geothermal potential.

A New Pillar of Clean Energy:

• This landmark policy aims to establish geothermal energy as a reliable and sustainable source, complementing the existing solar, wind, and hydropower sectors. Unlike intermittent renewables, geothermal provides round-the-clock baseload power, ensuring grid stability.
• The policy’s scope extends beyond just electricity generation, promoting diverse applications like district heating, agricultural uses such as greenhouse farming and cold storage, and even water desalination.

Strategic Framework for Growth:

• To foster a robust ecosystem, the framework emphasizes inter-ministerial collaboration and the adoption of global best practices. It promotes innovative technologies like hybrid geothermal-solar plants and the retrofitting of abandoned oil wells for energy production.
• The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) will spearhead this initiative, working with state governments and private players. As a first step, five pilot projects have been sanctioned to assess resource potential and pave the way for future commercial-scale deployment. This strategic approach will de-risk investments and encourage private sector participation.

The policy will also promote research and development in Enhanced and Advanced Geothermal Systems (EGS/AGS), which can tap into geothermal resources in areas without naturally occurring steam or hot water. This can significantly expand the potential for geothermal development across the country.