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NITI Aayog Investment Friendliness Index 2026: Gujarat Scores 56.6, Tops Among Major States

Target:UPSC GS-IIIMPSCTeachingSSC GAPrelims HighMains HighStatic GK Link
18 Jul 2026
~2 min
Source: The Hindu
Key Data:56.6 points53.7 points53.3 points2.81% of GSDP29% lower electricity tariff635 km expressway
Bodies:NITI AayogiNDEXTb (Industrial Extension Bureau of Gujarat)
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.Gujarat tops NITI Aayog's first Investment Friendliness Index 2026 with 56.6 points, ahead of Maharashtra (53.7) and Tamil Nadu (53.3).

2.The index evaluates 17 major states across 84 indicators under 8 pillars covering the entire investment lifecycle.

3.Gujarat's strengths include lowest fiscal deficit (2.81% of GSDP), 31% of India's merchandise exports, and 23.8 hours of average daily power supply.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · High

NITI Aayog released its first Investment Friendliness Index 2026, ranking 17 major states on ease of investment. Gujarat tops with 56.6 points, driven by policy stability, low fiscal deficit, and robust infrastructure. This is crucial for prelims data and mains analysis on competitive federalism and investment climate.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Gujarat Score56.6 points
Maharashtra Score53.7 points
Tamil Nadu Score53.3 points
Fiscal Deficit (Gujarat, 2024-25)2.81% of GSDP (lowest among states)
Industrial Electricity Tariff29% lower than national average
Expressway Length (Gujarat)635 km (highest in country)
Atal Tinkering Labs (Gujarat, FY2025)614 (1.24 per lakh population)
Merchandise Exports Share31% of India's total

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Gujarat Score: 56.6 points
  • ›Maharashtra Score: 53.7 points
  • ›Target this Data: Gujarat score 56.6, Maharashtra 53.7, Tamil Nadu 53.3 in Investment Friendliness Index 2026
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: NITI Aayog (released the index)
  • ›Target this Legal Point: No specific legal point; focus on the index's pillars and fiscal deficit (2.81% of GSDP)

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Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

Which organization released the Investment Friendliness Index 2026?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements:

1. Gujarat scored 56.6 points in the Investment Friendliness Index 2026.

2. Maharashtra scored 53.7 points, while Tamil Nadu scored 53.3 points.

3. The index evaluates states across 84 indicators under 8 pillars.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

According to the article, what was Gujarat's fiscal deficit as a percentage of GSDP in 2024-25?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What is the primary objective of NITI Aayog's Investment Friendliness Index?

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