The Global Innovation Index (GII) 2026 was launched at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Headquarters in Geneva on 29 September 2026.

                                                           Press release – GII 2026

The Global Innovation Index (GII) 2026 was launched at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Headquarters in Geneva on 29 September 2026. Hon’ble Lyonchen was among the three distinguished keynote speakers at the high-level opening ceremony. All three keynote speeches were pre-recorded and played during the opening session.

 

Bhutan has been included in the GII 2026 ranking under WIPO’s new inclusion criteria and methodology. While Bhutan had been listed in previous editions of the GII under the earlier framework, its inclusion in the 2026 edition marks its entry under the new process and criteria for inclusion.

 

Bhutan ranks 74th among 139 economies featured in the GII 2026, placing the country 3rd among 11 economies in Central and Southern Asia. Bhutan is also among the economies identified by WIPO as performing above expectations for their level of economic development, joining the group of innovation overperformers for the first time.

 

Bhutan ranks 1st in pupil-teacher ratio in secondary education, gross capital formation as a share of GDP, and national feature films per million population, each reflecting distinct national strengths in education investment, capital investment, and creative output. Bhutan also ranks 2nd worldwide in low-carbon energy use and 4th in tertiary inbound mobility, underscoring our commitment to sustainability and our growing appeal as a destination for higher education.

Bhutan also recorded a relatively strong institutional environment (38th), human capital and research (49th), and market sophistication (51st) providing a foundation for further development of the country’s innovation ecosystem.

 

At the same time, the report also points to areas requiring further attention. Bhutan is ranked lowest in Business sophistication (132nd), and knowledge and technology outputs (129th) highlighting the need to accelerate digital adoption and strengthen the translation of the country’s strong institutional, human-capital and sustainability foundations into broader innovation outcomes.

 

The GII 2026 provides an important benchmark for Bhutan as the country continues to strengthen its innovation ecosystem and pursue a more diversified, sustainable and knowledge-driven economy.

 

 

 

 

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