Global Cities Index 2026

Global Cities Index 2026 ranks 1000 cities across the world based on five major factors: Economics, Human Capital, Quality of Life, Environment and Governance. Read more about Global Cities Index 2026, Highlights, Latest News.

Global Cities Index 2026
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Global Cities Index 2026 Latest News

Delhi has secured the 268th position among 1,000 cities in the Oxford Economics Global Cities Index 2026. 

About Global Cities Index (GCI)

  • It is an annual report published by Oxford Economics, a leading global economic advisory firm.  
  • The index ranks 1000 cities across the world based on five major factors: Economics, Human Capital, Quality of Life, Environment and Governance. 
  • The rankings are designed to look at both a city’s present performance and its future potential. 
  • GCI 2026 Highlights:
    • New York has taken the top spot in the index. 
    • London has been ranked second, followed by Paris at third, Seattle at fourth, and San Francisco at fifth. 
    • India Specific Findings:
      • Around 100 Indian cities feature among the 1,000 major cities evaluated worldwide. 
      • Delhi has the highest overall ranking at 268, followed by Bengaluru at 311, Mumbai at 330, Chennai at 381, Hyderabad at 421, and Pune at 427. 
      • 55 Indian cities have secured spots among the world’s top 100 fastest-growing city economies. 
      • Delhi is currently the world’s 63rd-largest city economy. Oxford Economics projects that it could become the 14th-largest by 2050, with economic output exceeding USD 2 trillion. 
      • Delhi’s strongest performance came in the Human Capital category, where it ranked 13th globally, ahead of Toronto, Seoul, and Beijing.
      • Mumbai is India’s leading city for corporate headquarters, ranking 23rd globally on that measure. 
      • Mumbai’s city economy, currently the world’s 99th-largest, could rise to 36th-largest by 2050.
      • Bengaluru climbed 20 places to 311th globally and was named a ‘City to Watch’, recording the biggest improvement among India’s six largest metropolitan cities. 
      • Bengaluru is also among the 10 fastest-growing cities globally by forecast GDP growth. 
      • Chennai and Hyderabad ranked 16th and 15th worldwide, respectively, for forecast GDP growth. 
      • The primary reason behind Indian cities ranking below the 250th position in the overall index is the lack of adequate infrastructure and quality of life. 
      • Indian cities rank very low in terms of income equality. 
      • Delhi ranks second globally for having the worst air quality.

News: CNBC

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Global Cities Index 2026 FAQs

Q1. What is the Global Cities Index (GCI)?+

Q2. Who publishes the Global Cities Index?+

Q3. Which five major factors are used to rank cities in the Global Cities Index?+

Q4. Which city topped the Global Cities Index 2026?+

Q5. Which Indian city achieved the highest overall ranking in the Global Cities Index 2026?+

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