The findings were released as part of the CGGI’s Asia Pacific regional engagement. Now in its sixth year, the index measures the capabilities and effectiveness of 133 governments worldwide across seven pillars: Leadership & Foresight, Robust Laws & Policies, Strong Institutions, Financial Stewardship, Attractive Marketplace, Global Influence & Reputation, and Helping People Rise.
“India’s data shows three years of decline followed by two years of modest improvement. That pattern is more informative than either year on its own, signalling a change in trajectory rather than a single-year movement. India’s overall score remains below its 2021 level, so there is still meaningful ground to be covered,” said Dinesh Naidu, Director (Knowledge) at the Chandler Governance Group (CGG).
India ranks first in South Asia across five of the seven pillars: Leadership & Foresight, Robust Laws & Policies, Strong Institutions, Attractive Marketplace, and Global Influence & Reputation. Its scores in these pillars remain well above every other South Asian country, despite all five declining since 2021. Bangladesh leads the region in Financial Stewardship, while Sri Lanka leads in Helping People Rise.
South Asia as a whole experienced a difficult five years, with only Nepal improving its overall score in the region since 2021. India’s overall score also declined during the same period, with the steepest fall recorded in Leadership & Foresight, although its lead over regional peers remained intact throughout.
Helping People Rise, which measures outcomes for citizens including education, health and economic opportunity, was the only pillar in which India’s score improved since 2021. India recorded South Asia’s largest score gain in the pillar, and its score continued to improve between 2025 and 2026.
Financial Stewardship followed a different trajectory. India’s score in the pillar declined every year since 2021 before rising for the first time between 2025 and 2026. It was India’s largest pillar-level gain during that period and the main driver of its overall recovery. Despite the improvement in its score, India’s global rank in Financial Stewardship fell from 93rd in 2025 to 104th in 2026, reflecting how rankings are also influenced by movements in other countries.
India’s turnaround came amid a strong year for the wider Asia Pacific region. Since 2021, Asia Pacific has recorded the world’s sharpest regional governance improvement, although South Asia has lagged behind the broader trend. In 2026, 79% of governments in the region, including four of the five South Asian countries, recorded higher scores year-on-year.
Designed by practitioners for practitioners, the CGGI provides governments with a diagnostic tool to benchmark performance and identify areas for capability development, using evidence from peers across the region and around the world.
“India’s data this year points to slight recovery, but also to where that recovery is uneven. The CGGI’s value lies in making that distinction visible, showing governments not just how they compare to others, but where their own progress is concentrated and where it still needs to be built,” Naidu said.
The full 2026 Index, including country profiles, pillar scores and historical comparisons, is available at chandlergovernmentindex.com. India’s second consecutive annual improvement places it at 76th globally and keeps it at the top of South Asia, while its performance across individual pillars highlights both areas of recovery and the ground that remains to be covered.
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