1. India Ranks 72nd in IMF's Global AI Preparedness Index
Tags: INDEX
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) introduced the Artificial Intelligence Preparedness Index (AIPI) Dashboard on June 25, 2024.
An Overview of the News
The index ranks 174 Countries worldwide based on their preparedness for adopting artificial intelligence (AI).
India ranks 72nd with a score of 0.49, categorized as an Emerging Market (EM).
Bangladesh ranks 113th (0.38), Sri Lanka 92nd (0.43), and China 31st (0.63).
Rating Criteria: Ratings are based on digital infrastructure, human capital, labor policies, innovation, integration, and regulation.
Top Countries in the AI Preparedness Index
Singapore ranks 1st with an index of 0.800.
Denmark follows closely in 2nd place with an index of 0.778.
The United States secures the 3rd position with an index of 0.771.
Netherlands stands 4th with an index of 0.766.
Estonia, Finland and Switzerland are ranked 5th with an index of 0.754.
New Zealand and Germany are ranked 6th with an index of 0.753.
Sweden is ranked 7th with an index of 0.747
Impact and Job Displacement
Job Displacement: AI is projected to potentially disrupt 33% of jobs in advanced economies, 24% in emerging economies, and 18% in low-income countries.
Economic Reshaping: Economist Giovanni Melina highlights AI's potential to enhance job productivity and create new industries globally.
International Monetary Fund (IMF):
Establishment: 1944 (Formally came into existence in December 1945)
Members: 190 (India joined the IMF on December 27, 1945)
Headquarters: Washington DC
Important Points
India Ranked 63rd in the Global Energy Transition Index 2024
India Ranked 3rd in the Global Unicorn Index 2024
India Ranked 159th in the World Press Freedom Index 2024
India Ranked 129th in the Global Gender Gap Index 2024
India Ranked 39th in WEF's Travel and Tourism Development Index 2024
India Ranked 126th in the World Happiness Report 2024
2. WEF 2024 Report: Sweden Leads, India Ranked 63rd on Global Energy Transition Index
The World Economic Forum (WEF), in collaboration with Accenture, published its annual report titled "Fostering Effective Energy Transition 2024" on 19th June 2024.
An Overview of the News
According to the report, India has achieved the 63rd position on the global Energy Transition Index (ETI) 2024.
The report highlights that India has climbed 3 places from its 2023 rank of 67th, driven by notable enhancements in energy equity, security, and sustainability domains.
Top Countries on ETI 2024:
Sweden secured 1st place with an ETI score of 78.4.
Denmark followed at 2nd place with a score of 75.2.
Finland ranked 3rd with a score of 74.5.
Fastest Improving Countries (Last 5 Years):
Estonia, Ethiopia, and Lebanon identified as countries showing significant improvement.
About WEF:
Established: 1971
Founder: Prof. Klaus Schwab
Headquarters: Cologny, Geneva Canton, Switzerland
Managing Director: Saadia Zahidi
Important Points
- India ranked 3rd in Global Unicorn Index 2024
- India ranked 159th in World Press Freedom Index 2024
- India ranked 129th in Global Gender Gap Index 2024
- India ranked 39th in WEF's Travel and Tourism Development Index 2024
- India ranked 126th in World Happiness Report 2024
3. India ranked 129th in Global Gender Gap Index
India has slipped two places to the 129th position in the Global Gender Gap Index.
An Overview of the News
Among South Asian countries, India ranks fifth, behind Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan, with Pakistan ranked last.
India demonstrates notable gender parity in secondary education enrollment and political empowerment.
India secures the 10th position for the number of years with female/male heads of state in the last 50 years.
However, India's overall gender gap closure has slightly declined to 64.1% in 2024 from 64.2% last year.
Top 10: The Global Gender Gap Index 2024 rankings
Iceland
Finland
Norway
New Zealand
Sweden
Nicaragua
Germany
Namibia
Ireland
Spain
Bottom 5: The Global Gender Gap Index 2024 rankings
Sudan 146 Rank
Pakistan 145 Rank
Chad 144 Rank
Iran (Islamic Republic of) 143 Rank
Guinea 142 Rank
About Global Gender Gap Report
The Global Gender Gap Report, initiated by the World Economic Forum in 2006, evaluates gender equality worldwide.
It measures how resources and opportunities are distributed among men and women within countries.
The report aims to raise awareness and foster dialogue among policymakers by highlighting role model countries in equitable resource allocation.
According to the 2023 report, it will take 131 years to close the global gender gap.
4. IISc, Bangalore, ranked 32nd in THE Asia University Rankings 2024
Tags: INDEX
Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Rankings 2024 ranks the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, at 32nd, the highest ranked Indian institution.
An Overview of the News
Tsinghua University (China) maintains its top position for the 6th consecutive year.
Peking University (China) and National University of Singapore (NUS) (Singapore) secure 2nd and 3rd rank respectively.
Scope and Representation in THE Asia University Rankings 2024:
The 2024 ranking features 739 universities from 31 countries/regions, indicating a 10.5% increase from the previous year's 669.
Japan boasts the highest representation on the 2024 ranking with 119 universities, followed by India, which saw an increase from 75 to 91 universities compared to 2023, and Mainland China with 86 universities.
About THE:
Formerly known as The Times Higher Education Supplement (The Thes), THE is a British magazine focusing on higher education news and issues.
CEO:- Paul Howarth
Headquarters:- London, United Kingdom (UK)
5. India has moved up to the 39th spot in the WEF's Travel & Tourism Development Index.
Tags: INDEX
India has ascended to the 39th position in the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index for 2024, marking a notable improvement from its previous ranking of 54th in 2021.
An Overview of the News
This advancement places India at the top in South Asia among the lower-middle-income economies.
The United States secured the top spot in the index.
India achieved a score of 4.25 out of 7 on the overall index, where 1 represents the lowest and 7 the highest.
The significant rise in India's ranking highlights its increasing competitiveness in the global tourism sector.
The biennial index evaluated the travel and tourism sectors of 119 countries, assessing various factors and policies contributing to tourism development.
2024 Travel and Tourism Development Index:
Top Five Countries
The United States of America leads the rankings with a score of 5.24 in the 2024 Travel and Tourism Development Index.
Spain follows closely behind with a score of 5.18.
Japan secures the third position with a score of 5.09.
France holds the fourth spot with a score of 5.07.
Australia rounds up the top five with a score of 5.00.
Bottom Ranked countries
Mali ranks at the bottom of the list, securing a score of 2.78.
Sierra Leone follows closely behind, ranking second from the bottom with a score of 2.9.
Travel and Tourism Development Index 2024
The Travel and Tourism Development Index is a biennial report issued by the World Economic Forum (WEF), replacing the previous Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI) which was published biennially since 2007.
It assesses and benchmarks the factors and policies facilitating sustainable and resilient development within the travel and tourism sector, contributing to a country's overall development.
The 2024 Index was developed in partnership with the University of Surrey, England.
This edition ranks 119 countries based on their performance in fostering the development of the travel and tourism industry.
About WEF
The World Economic Forum (WEF) is a non-profit international think tank established by Klaus Schwab of Germany in 1971 with the aim of promoting Public-Private Cooperation.
It serves as a platform facilitating collaboration among government entities, non-governmental organizations, businesses, academics, and other stakeholders.
The primary goal of the WEF is to address global challenges by fostering dialogue and finding shared solutions.
The headquarters of the WEF is located in Cologny, Switzerland.
6. Mahatma Gandhi University Leads Indian Institutions in THE Young University Rankings 2024
Tags: INDEX
Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU) in Kottayam, Kerala, secured the top position among Indian universities, ranking 81st globally in THE Young University Rankings 2024.
An Overview of the News
Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, retained its global top spot for the second consecutive year.
Anna University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu (TN), ranked 96th globally, joins
The 2024 ranking encompasses 673 universities, a notable increase from 605 in 2023.
Over five years, the number of Asian universities listed has doubled from 165 in 2020 to 327 in 2024.
India's representation in the 2024 ranking has grown to 55 institutions, up from 45 in 2023 and 26 in 2020.
About THE
The inaugural edition of Times Higher Education (THE) was published in October 1971.
THE is headquartered in London, United Kingdom (UK).
7. India Ranks 159th in World Press Freedom Index 2024; Norway Maintains Top Position
The World Press Freedom Index 2024, published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), ranks India 159th out of 180 countries, with a score of 31.28.
An Overview of the News
Norway maintains its top position for the 8th consecutive year, with Denmark and Sweden following closely in 2nd and 3rd place, respectively.
The lowest three rankings are held by Eritrea (180th), Syria (179th), and Afghanistan (178th).
The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) marked World Press Freedom Day 2024 on May 3rd by releasing a report titled "Press and Planet in Danger: Safety of Environmental Journalists; Trends, Challenges, and Recommendations."
About the UNESCO
Director-General : Audrey Azoulay
Headquarters: Paris, France
Establishment: 1945
Membership: Consists of 194 Members and 12 Associate Members
8. Delhi's IGIA ranked 10th among world's busiest airports in ACI's 2023 rankings
Tags: INDEX
Airports Council International (ACI) World published its 2023 report on the busiest airports globally, in which Delhi Airport (Indira Gandhi International Airport – IGIA) secured the 10th position.
An Overview of the News
IGIA handled more than 72.2 million passengers in 2023, experiencing a slight decline from its 9th position in 2022, overtaken by Chicago O'Hare Airport.
Despite the change in rankings, IGIA displayed a steady year-on-year (Y-o-Y) growth of 20.36% from 2022, highlighting the strong recovery of the Indian aviation sector.
Its ranking history includes being 9th busiest in 2022, 13th in 2021, and 17th in 2019 before the coronavirus pandemic.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) in the United States regained the title of the world's busiest airport, accommodating 104.65 million passengers in 2023.
About ACI
It is a global trade association formed in 1991 to promote cooperation between member airports and aviation bodies such as IATA, ICAO and CANSO.
Luis Felipe de Oliveira serves as Director General of ACI.
As of January 2024, ACI has 757 members representing 2109 airports in 191 countries.
Its headquarters is located in Montreal, Canada.
9. India to rank third in Global Unicorn Index 2024
Tags: INDEX
Hurun Research Institute publishes the "Global Unicorn Index", which ranks countries based on the number of unicorn companies.
An Overview of the News
In the 2024 edition, India stands third with 67 unicorns, 1 less than last year.
Notably, Indian giants Byju's and PharmEasy are no longer included in the index.
India's unicorn roster includes Swiggy, Dream11 and Razorpay, valued at US$8 billion, US$8 billion and US$7.5 billion, respectively.
Top 5 Nations with Highest Unicorn Number:
The United States maintains its top position with 703 unicorns, accounting for 48% of the global total.
China continues to hold the second position in the index with 340 unicorns.
India is at third position with 67 unicorns.
The United Kingdom (U.K.) is in fourth place with 53 unicorns.
Germany is among the top five countries with 36 unicorns.
Global Unicorn Index:
The index includes companies established since the 2000s, valued at more than US$1 billion, and not yet publicly listed.
The data compared to last year spans from January 2023 to January 2024.
Hurun Research Institute has tracked unicorn companies since 2017.
10. Finland tops the happiness ranking for the seventh year, Afghanistan in last place
The World Happiness Report, conducted annually by the United Nations, rates countries based on a variety of factors including life satisfaction, GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and corruption.
An Overview of the News
Finland retained its title as the happiest country in 2024 for the seventh consecutive year, with other Nordic countries such as Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden also ranked in the top 10.
Situation in Afghanistan:
Afghanistan remains the unhappiest country facing ongoing humanitarian crises since the resurgence of the Taliban in 2020.
Ranking changes:
The United States and Germany fall out of the top 20 happiest countries, ranking 23rd and 24th, respectively, while Costa Rica and Kuwait enter the top 20.
India's ranking
India has maintained its ranking at 126th in the happiness index.
Factors Contributing to Finland's Happiness:
Finland's happiness is attributed to factors such as a strong connection to nature, a healthy work-life balance, an attainable sense of success, a strong welfare society, trust in state officials, low corruption levels, and accessible healthcare and education.
Top 10 happiest countries of 2024:
Rank | Country |
1. | Finland |
2. | Denmark |
3. | Iceland |
4. | Sweden |
5. | Israel |
6. | Netherlands |
7. | Norway |
8. | Luxemburg |
9. | Switzerland |
10. | Australia |
