Responsible Nations Index 2026: Singapore Leads, India Ranked at 16th Spot

Current Context: The Responsible Nations Index (RNI) 2026 was released on 20 January 2026 in New Delhi by former President of India Ram Nath Kovind.

 

• Developed by the World Intellectual Foundation (WIF) in collaboration with JNU and IIM-Mumbai, the index ranks 154 countries on how responsibly they use their power.
• It evaluates nations across three key pillars — Internal Responsibility, Environmental Responsibility, and External Responsibility — using data from global institutions like the World Bank and UN agencies.
• Singapore secured the top position, followed by Switzerland and Denmark, while the Central African Republic ranked last.
• India achieved 16th place, ahead of major powers such as the United States (66th), China (68th), and Pakistan (90th).
• This index highlights responsible governance, sustainability, and ethical global conduct as new measures of national strength.

Question:

Q.1 India’s rank in the Responsible Nations Index 2026 was:
a) 10th
b) 16th
c) 25th
d) 40th

Answer: b) India achieved 16th rank, a strong performance compared to many major powers.