Global Innovation Index 2026: Pakistan climbs 4 places to 95th of 139, an 'overperformer' for the fourth time

Pakistan ranks 95th of 139 economies in the Global Innovation Index 2026, up four places from 99th last year, according to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Dawn reported. WIPO also named Pakistan an innovation "overperformer" for the fourth time, after 2022 and 2024, meaning it produces more innovation than its income level would predict.

"Innovation overperformance shows that innovation does not follow a straight line from income to results," the report says.

Pakistan's scores

Both the inputs and outputs ranks improved on 2025.

Where Pakistan does well

WIPO points to the digital economy: mobile app creation, exports of ICT services, high-tech imports and software spending. It also rates Pakistan's scientific output and university quality as relatively strong, which matches this month's Stanford-Elsevier list putting 1,034 Pakistani researchers in the world's top 2% (our report).

Where it falls short

Pakistan does not rank among the leaders in any of the index's pillars, including human capital and research, and infrastructure. The gap between a 121st rank for inputs and 72nd for outputs is what earns the overperformer label: the country gets more out than it puts in, but it puts in little.

Pakistan's rank since 2020

The best result remains 87th in 2022. At the top of Asia, South Korea is 4th, Singapore 5th, China 10th, Japan 12th and Hong Kong 14th.

What it means for you

ICT service exports, the strength WIPO singles out, are largely earned by Pakistan's software houses and freelancers. If you bill foreign clients, the freelancer tax calculator shows what you owe on those earnings this year.