Investment Friendliness Index (IFI) 2026

Investment Friendliness Index (IFI) 2026 Latest News

Gujarat has emerged as India’s most investment-friendly state in Niti Aayog’s first-ever Investment Friendliness Index (IFI) 2026, followed by Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.

About Investment Friendliness Index (IFI) 2026

• It is the country’s first IFI released by the NITI Aayog.
• It assesses how well Indian states and Union Territories are positioned to attract investments. 
• It covers all 28 states and 8 Union Territories and evaluates investment attractiveness across the following eight pillars:
  • Infrastructure
  • Business climate
  • Resources
  • Government policy
  • Regulatory Ease
  • Institutional Environment
  • Financial Health; and
  • Environmental Resilience
• The framework comprises 84 indicators, incorporating both secondary data and perception-based measures derived from a primary survey of investors. 
• The index uses a 100-point scale and serves as a benchmark for states to improve their investment environment. 
• Each state has scored on different aspects using a mix of primary surveys and publicly available data. 
• Based on overall scores, States and Union Territories have been classified into four performance categories:
  • Top Performers (scores above 50)
    Frontrunners (45–50)
    Emerging Performers (≥40 – <45)
  • Aspiring States (below 40)
• States and Union Territories have also been assessed within three peer groups – Large States, Hilly and Northeastern States, and Union Territories and City States.  

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Investment Friendliness Index (IFI) 2026 Highlights 

• 5 states were identified as top performers: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Goa, and Odisha.
• 15 States have been classified as Frontrunners, while 8 States/UTs have been placed in each of the Emerging Performers and Aspiring States categories. 
• Among the large states, Gujarat secured the first rank, followed by Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, which are also the top three performers in the overall Index. 
• In the Hilly and Northeastern States category, Uttarakhand emerged as the highest-ranked State, followed by Assam and Himachal Pradesh. 
• Among the City States and Union Territories, Goa secured the top position, followed by Delhi and Chandigarh.

News: TP