Mumbai, 28 January 2016: Gateway House: Indian Council on Global Relations, a six-year-old, independent, foreign policy think tank based in Mumbai, has once again ranked among the world’s top think tanks in the 2015 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report published by The Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program (TTCSP) at the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn), USA. This time, Gateway House has improved its performance and expanded its presence into nine categories, in particular making its debut in the exclusive list of Best Independent Think Tanks. UPenn’s Global Go To Think Tank Index is the most comprehensive global ranking of the world’s leading think tanks.
Gateway House made its first appearance in the 2014 index report and was ranked in four categories. This year, the institution has bettered its ranking in these categories.
1) Top Think Tanks in China, India, Japan and the Republic of Korea – #28 out of 65 (In 2014 we had ranked #29 out of 50)
2) Best Use of Social Networks – #31 out of 79 (In 2014 we had ranked #32 out of 60)
3) Think Tanks to Watch – #38 out of 100 (In 2014 we had ranked #53 out of 80)
4) Think Tanks with the Best Use of the Internet – #41 out of 48 (In 2014 we had ranked #38 out of 40)
In addition, in 2015 Gateway House’s presence has expanded into five new categories:
1) List of Best Independent Think Tanks
2) Top Think Tanks Worldwide (Non-U.S.) – #130 out of 137
3) Top Foreign Policy and International Affairs Think Tanks – #111 out of 132
4) Think Tanks with the Best External Relations/Public Engagement Program – #51 of 75
5) Best Use of Media (Print or Electronic) – #47 out of 50
“The inclusion of Gateway House in the additional categories is reflective of our innovative scholarship, dyanamic online presence and robust outreach engagements,” said Blaise Fernandes, CEO, Gateway House.
Manjeet Kripalani, Executive Director and Co-founder, Gateway House said, “This recognition by the Global Go To Think Tank Index shows Gateway House’s commitment towards providing quality research and analysis on India’s foreign policy and its deepening engagement to further the country’s strategic interests.”
The report reflects the deepening of Gateway House’s engagement with business, society and government. In 2015, the institution wrote research papers for India’s Ministry of Finance; conducted the first ever Think Tank 20 (T20) meeting in India as part of the G20 deliberations; made a successful policy trip to Iran with members (with a detailed report on India-Iran relations); and is publishing two books on India’s foreign policy.
“The rankings are a testament to Gateway House’s ability to be a bridge between the government of India and the business community in order to foster successful and pragmatic foreign policy engagements,” said Ambassador Neelam Deo, Director and Co-founder, Gateway House.
Gateway House has seen a surge in social media activity, and an increase in the readership of the website. Over the past year, the institution has seen an almost 100% increase in the republishing of its content in the domestic and international media. Our Twitter followers have increased by over 50% and we continue to innovate with new mediums of communication through a video series and podcasts.These have brought Gateway House to the attention of the public, and hence, the rankings.
According to the report, Asia, more than any other region, experienced a dramatic growth in think tanks since the mid-2000s. Gateway House’s growth is reflective of this trend.
This year, Gateway House plans a number of research papers slated for publication, both in-house and externally. In addition, a series of first-ever, major conferences are planned along with the Ministry of External Affairs: The Gateway of India Dialogue for April 2016, the T20 conference in June 2016, and the BRICS Geoeconomic Forum in July 2016.
“We hope these will generate new ideas and scholarship, which will in turn connect India with Asia and the world in creative and productive ways. We look forward to maintaining and improving our ranking in 2016, and every year thereafter. Our mission is to deepen our contribution to India’s foreign policy engagement and to make business more aligned with our foreign policy goals,” Kripalani said.
The complete Global Go To Think Tank Index Report is available here. For more information or interview requests please contact Ashna Contractor on c.ashna@gatewayhouse.in or +91 9820183002.