Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday said India has emerged as the fastest-growing major economy in intangible investments, citing the World Intangible Investment Report 2026, which highlights the country’s growing investment in software, research and development (R&D), intellectual property and innovation-driven capabilities.
Sharing the report’s findings on X, Goyal said India is “powering the next era of innovation-led growth” and steadily strengthening its position as a global innovation hub.
According to the minister, the report highlights India’s increasing investments in software, R&D, intellectual property, innovation and organisational capabilities that are shaping the economy of the future.
He said India recorded the fastest growth in intangible investment among the world’s 15 largest economies, with investment reaching USD 78.2 billion in 2023, registering 7.9 per cent growth, ahead of tangible investment.
Goyal attributed the performance to sustained policy reforms, digital transformation and continued support for startups under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He said that driven by the energy and aspirations of young innovators, entrepreneurs and creators, India continues to be the world’s fastest-growing major economy and is steadily building a knowledge-driven future powered by ideas, innovation and enterprise.
According to the World Intangible Investment Report 2026, published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and Luiss Business School, India ranked as the fastest-growing economy in intangible investment among the world’s 15 largest economies in 2023. The report noted that India’s intangible investment exceeded that of several European economies.
The report also highlighted India’s strong focus on software and databases, which accounted for nearly 45 per cent of the country’s total intangible investment in 2023—the highest share among all economies covered in the study. Organisational capital contributed 21.8 per cent, while brands accounted for 9.3 per cent, reflecting the strength of India’s information technology and software services sector.
-ANI
