India’s sustained efforts to simplify regulations, reduce compliance burdens and strengthen digital governance are helping create a more business-friendly environment, boosting investor confidence and improving the country’s standing in global competitiveness assessments.
Over the past decade, the government has pursued a series of reforms aimed at transforming India from a compliance-heavy regulatory framework into a facilitation-driven ecosystem focused on transparency, speed and trust-based governance.
Significant gains in ease of doing business
The impact of these reforms is reflected in India’s performance in global business environment rankings.
According to the World Bank’s Doing Business Report 2020, India improved its ranking from 142 in 2014 to 63 in 2019, registering an advancement of 79 positions within five years. The improvement was driven by reforms across areas such as business registration, construction permits, taxation, insolvency resolution and cross-border trade.
The government said these measures have helped simplify procedures, reduce administrative hurdles and create a more conducive environment for businesses and entrepreneurs.
Competitiveness ranking improves
India has also recorded progress in the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking, which evaluates economies based on economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency and infrastructure.
The country’s ranking improved from 43 in 2021 to 41 in 2025, indicating improvements in governance, business conditions and digital and regulatory frameworks.
The gains underscore India’s efforts to strengthen institutional efficiency and enhance the overall competitiveness of its business ecosystem.
Digital governance receives global recognition
India’s advancements in public sector digital transformation have also earned international recognition.
The World Bank’s GovTech Maturity Index, which assesses the use of technology in government systems and service delivery, placed India in the highest-performing Group A category in 2020, 2022 and 2025.
This category includes countries demonstrating advanced capabilities in core government systems, digital public services, citizen engagement platforms and enabling technology infrastructure.
The recognition highlights India’s progress in leveraging digital tools to improve governance and service delivery.
Strong performance in UN e-governance survey
India has also secured a high overall score in the United Nations E-Government Survey, which evaluates digital government readiness across countries.
The country recorded particularly strong performance in the Online Services Index, reflecting the expansion of digital public services and improved accessibility for citizens.
India also scored highly on telecommunications infrastructure and human capital indicators, demonstrating advancements in digital connectivity, technology adoption and citizen participation in digital governance initiatives.
Reforms simplify business lifecycle
According to the government, ongoing reforms span the entire business lifecycle—from business incorporation and registration to logistics facilitation and insolvency resolution.
The focus has been on reducing compliance requirements, eliminating procedural bottlenecks and promoting paperless, technology-enabled systems that improve efficiency for businesses.
Over the last 12 years, several initiatives have been introduced to simplify business entry and formalisation processes, particularly benefiting entrepreneurs, startups and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
These measures have reduced procedural barriers and enabled faster approvals, helping businesses operate in a more predictable and transparent regulatory environment.
Foundation for future growth
The government believes continued regulatory simplification and digital transformation will further strengthen India’s attractiveness as an investment destination.
With reforms focused on ease of doing business, digital governance and compliance reduction, India is positioning itself as a competitive global business hub while creating a more efficient and entrepreneur-friendly ecosystem.