ISLAMABAD – Switzerland is the world’s most innovative country for a secondconsecutive year while Asian giant India made the biggest strides amongmajor economies, a global indicator showed Wednesday.
The annual Global Innovation Index — compiled by World IntellectualProperty Organisation, Cornell University and INSEAD — ranks 129 worldeconomies on 80 parameters including research, technology and creativity.
Switzerland was closely followed by Sweden and the United States, withIsrael rounding out the top 10.
India, where the announcement was made, was ranked 52nd but has leaped upthe rankings in recent years, WIPO assistant director-general Naresh Prasadsaid.
The report came as the International Monetary Fund downgraded global growthand warned of a “precarious” 2020 amid trade tensions, continueduncertainty and rising prospects for a no-deal Brexit.
The report’s authors said spending on innovation was still growing andappeared resilient despite the slowdown.
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But they also warned of signs of waning public support for research anddevelopment in high-income economies usually responsible for pushing theinnovation envelope, and increased protectionism.
“In particular, protectionism that impacts technology-intensive sectors andknowledge flows poses risks to global innovation networks and innovationdiffusion,” the report said.
“If left uncontained, these new obstacles to international trade,investment, and workforce mobility will lead to a slowdown of growth ininnovation productivity and diffusion across the globe.”
