New Delhi, June 7 (IANS) India’s sustained reforms over the past 12 years to improve its business regulatory environment, with the government’s focus shifting from a compliance-heavy system to a facilitation-driven ecosystem, have led to the country improving its ranking in global benchmarks on investor confidence and ease of doing business, according to an official factsheet issued on Sunday.
The progress is reflected in global assessments such as the Doing Business Report 2020 by the World Bank. India’s rank improved from 142 in 2014 to 63 in 2019, marking an advancement of 79 positions over five years, it said.
The IMD World Competitiveness Ranking 2025 factors in the economic performance of the country, government, business efficiency, and infrastructure development for businesses. India’s rank improved from 43 in 2021 to 41 in 2025. This highlights a stronger business environment, improved governance and better digital and regulatory reforms, the factsheet observed.
The World Bank’s GovTech Maturity Index, which assesses public sector digital transformation, placed India in Group A in 2020, 2022, and 2025. This category represents countries demonstrating advanced and innovative practices across core government systems, public service delivery, digital citizen engagement, and govtech enablers.
The United Nations also conducts an E-Government Survey to assess the digital government landscape across different countries. India has secured an overall high score in the survey. Within this, India has also achieved a very high score in the online services index. India has also acquired high scores in telecommunication infrastructure and human capital indices. This indicates strong digital public service delivery, expanding digital infrastructure, and improved citizen access to technology-enabled governance services.
These improvements are driven by continued efforts to simplify regulations and streamline procedures. The government has also reduced compliance burden across the business lifecycle. Reforms span from registration and logistics support to insolvency resolution. This is transforming business practices, making it easier for entrepreneurs in India and globally.
Over the last 12 years, the government has introduced major reforms to simplify business entry and formalisation processes in India. These measures have reduced procedural barriers and enabled faster, technology-driven, and paperless systems for entrepreneurs and MSMEs, the official statement said.
It highlights the Startup India initiative to support entrepreneurs and build a robust startup ecosystem, which aims to transform India into a nation of job creators rather than job seekers. Support measures include the Seed Fund, Fund of Funds, investor connect portal, and a credit guarantee scheme.
In 2016, only 502 startups were recognised, creating 308 direct jobs. However, by March 2026, over 2.23 lakh startups have been recognised, generating 23.3 lakh direct jobs. This rapid growth has expanded employment and entrepreneurial opportunities. Additionally, around 48 per cent of these startups have at least one woman director or partner, reflecting growing inclusivity.
Similarly, the MCA21 Project, a forward-looking, AI-driven initiative, significantly enhances transparency in India’s corporate landscape. The platform is used for end-to-end registry and incorporation-related services of companies & limited liability partnerships.
From 2021 to 2025, a total of approximately 3.84 crore filings were made. Of these, 3.33 crore filings were approved through the Straight Through Process. This has reduced processing time, minimised manual intervention, and improved ease of compliance for businesses, the official statement said.
It also underscores the Udyam Registration Portal, introduced in July 2020, which offers a free, paperless, and self-declaration-based system for MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises). MSME registrations on the Udyam Portal increased from 10,020 in October 2020 to over 8,58,000 by June 5, 2026.
–IANS
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