13th edition of Global Innovation Index released.

The index is a leading reference for measuring an economy’s innovation performance.

The GII is co-published by Cornell University, INSEAD, and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a specialized agency of the United Nations.

Theme: Who Will Finance Innovation? is timely given the human and global economic damage wreaked by the COVID-19 global pandemic.

GII rankings are based on 80 indicators, from traditional measurements like research and development investments and international patent and trademark applications.

This year, India climbed four spots and is now at 48th position in the list.

India is at the top position among the nations in central and southern Asia.

India has now become the third most innovative lower middle-income economy in the world.

India ranks in the top 15 in indicators such as ICT (Information and Communication Technology) services exports, government online services, graduates in science and engineering, and R&D-intensive global companies.

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The rankings show stability at the top but a gradual “eastward shift in the locus of innovation” as Asian economies like China, India, the Philippines and Vietnam have advanced considerably in the innovation ranking over the years.

Top 5: Switzerland, Sweden, the US, the UK and the Netherlands lead the innovation ranking.

Recently, the UNSC threw out a Pakistani attempt to get two Indians designated as terrorists under Resolution 1267. This was the third such attempt by Pak this year.

It was first set up in 1999, and strengthened after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

It is now known as the Da’esh and Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee.

It comprises all permanent and non-permanent members of the UNSC.

The 1267 list of terrorists is a global list, with a UNSC stamp. It is full of Pakistani nationals and residents.

Any member state can submit a proposal for listing an individual, group, or entity.The 1267 Committee meets as required with a notice of four working days. Decisions on listing and de-listing are adopted by consensus.

The proposal is sent to all the members, and if no member objects within five working days, the proposal is adopted. An “objection” means curtains for the proposal.

Any member of the Committee may also put a “technical hold” on the proposal, and ask for more information from the proposing member state. During this time, other members may also place their own holds.

The matter remains on the “pending” list of the Committee until such time as the member state that has placed the hold decides to turn its decision into an “objection”, or until all those who have placed holds remove them within a timeframe laid down by the Committee.

Pending issues must be resolved in six months, but the member state that has placed the hold may ask for an additional three months. At the end of this period, if an objection is not placed, the matter is considered approved.

The proposal must include acts or activities indicating the proposed individual/group/entity had participated “in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating of acts or activities” linked to “ISIL (Da’esh), Al-Qaida or any cell, affiliate, splinter group or derivative thereof”.