India climbs up networking ladder

NETWORK SWEEPSTAKES

India has moved up six notches to the 39th position in the Networked Readiness Index (NRI) according to the World Economic Forum's Global Information Technology Report, 2004-05.

The report, released today, saw Singapore emerge as the global leader in the NRI rankings, with the US slipping to the fifth position, against the top slot that it held last year. Hong Kong and Japan moved into the top 10. China moved up 10 places to the 41st spot, while Brazil and Mexico dropped down the rankings.

While Singapore led with a score of 1.73, followed by Iceland (1.66) and Finland (1.62), India posted a score of 0.23.

While the NRI is an indicator of overall competitiveness in information and communication technology (ICT), the component indices consist of a list of variables.

The environment component index takes into account the market, the political scenario and infrastructure. The indices of readiness and usage components are weighted against the individual, business and government.

Factors that weighed in India's favour included the availability of scientists and engineers, where it topped the list of 104 countries. Similarly, it was ranked 11 for the quality of its maths and science education and six in terms of the quality of its business schools.

While the US topped the list in terms of the quality of business schools, China was ranked 71. In terms of the government's priority to ICT, India was ranked ninth, while China was ranked 43.

In terms of the number of foreign technology licences, India is ranked eighth, ahead of Germany (10), while Singapore had the most prevalent foreign technology licensing in 2004.

The factors which pulled down India's ranking included the quality of its public schools, where it was ranked 83rd and the infrastructure environment (86).

Apart from the telecom infrastructure, which included mobile subscribers, telephone subscribers, public payphones and telephone lines, India fared better than China on most counts. In fact, India (26) was ranked technologically superior to China, which trailed at 60.

The report also said the quality of scientific and research institutions was better in India, and its financial markets were more sophisticated than China's. In terms of ICT procurement, however, the Chinese government was ranked 12th while the government of India was ranked 64th.

The best infrastructure environment was provided by Iceland, the report pointed out. It also had the best Internet access in schools and the second best in terms of the quality of its public schools.

It had the maximum number of Internet users per 100 people in 2002. Iceland took the top slot in the availability of new telephone lines in 2004. Consequently, it had the most secure Internet servers and Internet hosts in 2003.

Access to loans was easiest in the UK. It also had the most sophisticated financial markets in the world, according to the report.

The US, ranked number one overall last year, had the best venture capital availability. It was most successful in containing brain drain and had the best scientific research institutions and the best business schools.

Germany topped in terms of innovation. Finland had the best educational and public school system.

India scores in:

Availability of scientists and engineers

Quality of maths and science education

Quality of business schools

Foreign technology licences

India lags in:

Quality of public schools

Infrastructure environment