Produced by: Tarun Mishra
Designed by: Manoj Kumar
India has seen a significant drop in its global ranking for remote work, plummeting 15 spots to 64th out of 108 countries, as revealed in a recent report. This decline is attributed mainly to the country's underperforming digital and physical infrastructure and social safety.
The Global Remote Work Index, published by cybersecurity firm NordLayer, evaluated countries based on four critical criteria: cyber safety, economic safety, digital and physical infrastructure, and social safety.
Donatas Tamelis, Managing Director at NordLayer, emphasised the enduring significance of remote work, describing it as a fundamental shift in how productivity and work-life balance are approached, even as some tech companies return to offices or adopt hybrid models.
India's diminished ranking is primarily a result of weak performance across all four dimensions, with particular deficiencies noted in digital and physical infrastructure (77) and social safety (74).
India's e-infrastructure is regarded as one of the least developed globally, earning it the 95th position, while internet connection is considered both expensive (78th) and lacking in quality (70th).
In terms of social safety, India emerges as one of the most isolating nations globally, marked by a low personal rights index (88) and an environment that lacks inclusiveness (65).
India's performance in cyber and economic safety is rated as average, with rankings of 56 and 55, respectively.
India is recognised as one of the most cost-effective destinations with the third-lowest cost of living. However, the healthcare system's rating is notably poor at 93.
On the positive side, India boasts a reasonably robust cyber infrastructure (13) and a decent response capacity (19).
The top 10 countries leading the Global Remote Work Index are Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Portugal, Estonia, Lithuania, Ireland, and Slovakia.
As remote work continues to shape the future of work, India faces the challenge of enhancing its digital infrastructure and social safety to reclaim a stronger position in global rankings.