On March 6, 2020 Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) released the 4th iteration of the Inclusive Internet Index 2020 for 100 countries where India is overall ranked in 46th place & Sweden in 1st place. The index aims to measure the extent to which the Internet is not only accessible & affordable, but also relevant to all, allowing usage that enables positive social & economic outcomes at the individual & group level. It is commissioned by Facebook.
Key Points:
i.Among South Asian countries India ranks first followed by Srilanka, Bangladesh & pakistan.
ii.The 1st country ranked is Sweden, followed by New Zealand(2nd) & the US(3rd). Australia & Denmark both ranked 4th, followed by South Korea (6th), Canada(7th), the United Kingdom(8th), France(9th) , Spain(10th) & Pakistan(76th).
iii.Worst countries ranked are Burundi at 100th, Liberia at 99th, Madagascar at 98th, Malawi at 97th & Burkina Faso at 96th.
Rank Table
[su_table]
| Rank | Country |
| 46 | India |
| 1 | Sweden |
| 2 | New Zealand |
| 3 | United States |
| Bottom Countries | |
| 98 | Madagascar |
| 99 | Liberia |
| 100 | Burundi |
[/su_table]
iv.The overall index contains 56 indicators organized across four categories,
Availability– examines the quality & breadth of available infrastructure required for access & levels of Internet usage.
Affordability– examines the cost of access relative to income & the level of competition in the Internet marketplace.
Relevance– examines the existence & extent of local language content and relevant content.
Readiness– examines the capacity to access the Internet, including skills, cultural acceptance, & supporting policy.
v.On the basis of category India is positioned 68th in Availability,18th in Affordability, 46th in Relevance,12th in Readiness.
About The Inclusive Internet Index 2020:
The index covered 100 countries, representing 91% of the world’s population & 96% of global GDP. It is scaled from 1( best) to 100 (worst).
About EIU:
Headquarters- London, United Kingdom
Managing Director– Robin Bew
About Facebook:
Headquarters– Menlo Park, California, United States
CEO– Mark Zuckerberg
