India on Monday launched the Responsible Nations Index (RNI), a global framework aimed at assessing countries on ethical governance, social well-being, environmental stewardship and global responsibility, moving beyond traditional measures of power and economic strength.
The Index was unveiled at the Dr Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi under the aegis of the World Intellectual Foundation (WIF). Former President Ram Nath Kovind attended the event as the chief guest and highlighted the importance of ethical governance, inclusive development and moral responsibility as key pillars for sustainable national and global progress.
The Responsible Nations Index is the result of a three-year academic and policy research initiative led by the World Intellectual Foundation, with scholarly contributions from Jawaharlal Nehru University and the Indian Institute of Management Mumbai. The framework seeks to redefine how national success is measured in an increasingly interconnected world.
An expert panel discussion titled “From Human Well-being to Global Stewardship: Rethinking Responsibility, Prosperity and Peace in the 21st Century” was also held as part of the programme. The session was chaired by N K Singh, Chairman of the 15th Finance Commission of India, and focused on reimagining responsibility-led development and cooperative global progress.
Addressing the gathering, Sudhanshu Mittal, Founder and Secretary of the World Intellectual Foundation, said the RNI represents a shift from power-centric metrics to responsibility-centric evaluation of nations, aligning governance outcomes with ethical and humanitarian values.
The event concluded with the release of the Responsible Nations Index report, marking the start of a broader global dialogue on responsible nationhood and shared international progress.
