What is Responsible Nations Index? India ranks 16th and Singapore tops the list

India launched the Responsible Nation Index (RNI) to rank nations on parameters such as ethical governance, social well-being, environmental stewardship, and global responsibility. Singapore ranked first, followed by Denmark and Switzerland in second and third. Among 154 nations, India ranked 16th, the United States ranked 66th, and China ranked 68th. Syria and the Central African Republic ranked 153rd and 154th, respectively. The Index was launched by former Indian President Ramnath Kovind on Monday, January 21, 2026.

The index is not a scoreboard which increases competition, but a mirror of morality and responsibility which reflects if countries are doing justice to their citizens," said Ramnath Kovind at the Dr Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi.

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What is the Responsibility Nation Index?

Developed by the World Intellectual Foundation, an India-based think tank, in collaboration with the Jawaharlal Nehru University and the Indian Institute of Management Mumbai, RNI is a one-of-its-kind matrix that measures nations from power-centric metrics to responsibility-centric evaluation of a nation based on ethics and human rights. The index ranks nations based on 3 dimensions- Domestic, Planetary and International; 7 themes- quality of life, equality, equity, governance, environment and sustainability, intergenerational planning, and international relations. These themes are, and dimensions are then measured on 58 other indicators like Life Expectancy, Infant Mortality Rate, Maternal Mortality Rate, and other indicators on social welfare, democracy, media freedom, inclusivity, innovation, environmental sustainability and economic indicators. The index is different from purely economic indicators and includes more social indicators to make a more inclusive framework.

"The Responsible Nations Index asks a fundamental question - how responsibly does a nation exercise its power? Prosperity without responsibility is unsustainable. The RNI seeks to encourage ethical governance, humane development and global stewardship," said Sudhanshu Mittal, Founder and Secretary, WIF.