Gujarat has emerged as the top performer among India’s states and union territories in the Investment Friendliness Index 2026. It is followed by Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Goa and Odisha as well, as the top performers. NITI Aayog today released the Investment Friendliness Index 2026 in New Delhi, outlining the states that are best placed to attract investment as India pushes toward the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047. NITI Aayog said that Gujarat’s strong port operations and power sector, Maharashtra’s ability to attract private equity and venture capital, and Tamil Nadu’s infrastructure and export performance have contributed to their high rankings.
The index has assessed all 28 states and 8 union territories using eight pillars, including infrastructure, business climate, resources, government policy, regulatory ease, institutional environment, financial health and environmental resilience. The report has grouped states into four categories including top performers, frontrunners, emerging performers and aspiring states.
The report highlighted India has recorded strong economic growth over the past three decades, but to reach high-income status by 2047, the country need even faster growth, along with a much higher investment rate. It also noted that state-level reforms will play a major role in improving ease of doing business, infrastructure and policy predictability.
NITI Aayog has said the index is meant to serve as a benchmark for states to improve their investment environment and adopt best practices to attract more capital, strengthen business confidence and support broader economic development.
CEO of NITI Aayog, Nidhi Chhibber said that the index is not intended to be merely a ranking exercise rather it is designed as a practical reform tool. She said that the index enables states to benchmark their performance, identify priority areas for improvement, and learn from one another’s best practices. Ms Chhibber added that the report seeks to promote healthy competition by fostering collaboration and the exchange of knowledge.
Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, Ashok Kumar Lahiri said that for the last few years, India has been the fastest-growing major economy in the world. He said that investment is not a useless thing rather it is a contemporaneous income, investment boosts demand.
