GUWAHATI: India has ranked 10th globally in terms of private investment in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector, according to the United Nations Technology and Innovation Report 2025. The report, released by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), has placed the nation among the leading countries attracting private funding in AI, with an estimated investment of $1.4 billion in 2023.
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Incidentally, India is one of only two developing countries to make the top 10 list, as China ranked second after receiving $7.8 billion in private AI investment. The United States maintained its lead, accounting for nearly 70% of global AI funding with $67 billion.
The report has highlighted that the country is showing progress not only in investment but also in readiness to adopt advanced technologies. India rose to 36th place out of 170 countries in the UNCTAD Readiness for Frontier Technologies Index, improving from 48th position in 2022. This index evaluates nations across five areas: ICT access, skills, research and development, industrial capacity, and access to finance.
India, in particular, ranks high in research and development (3rd globally) and industrial capacity (10th). However, the country faces challenges in digital infrastructure and workforce development. India’s ICT access was ranked 99th, skills 113th, and access to finance 70th. These gaps could hinder the widespread adoption of frontier technologies despite India’s strengths in scientific research and industrial infrastructure.
The report has also listed India among countries with increasing human capital, citing longer schooling years and a higher percentage of high-skill employment. Other nations showing improvement in this area include Bhutan, Morocco, the Republic of Moldova, and Timor-Leste.
