ORF ranks 27th on Global Go To Think Tank Index Report

India's Observer Research Foundation (ORF) has jumped more than 90 places to 27th position among 176 global think tanks, says a report.

The 2019 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report, by the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program (TTCSP) of the Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania, ranked ORF among top 30 think tanks globally.

ORF moved up from the 118th position in the 2018 ranking and got featured at the ninth position on the "Think Tank to Watch in 2019" list.

Moreover, ORF curated Raisina Dialogue has been ranked 7th best conference in the report, moving up from 12th position.

The list was topped by Carnegie Endowment for International Peace of US, followed by Belgium's Bruegel and French Institute of International Relations (IFRI). UK's Chatham House was ranked 6th on the list.

Other Indian think tanks in list include, Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) at 41st rank, while Indian Council for Research on International Economic Research (ICRIER) was at 110 position, Centre for Civil Society (CCS) at 83rd and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) at 111th. Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) was ranked at 149th place, according to the report.

The report defined 'think tanks" as public-policy research analysis and engagement organisations that generate policy-oriented research, analysis, and advice on domestic and international issues, thereby enabling policymakers and the public to make informed decisions about public policy.

India has the second-largest number of think tanks at 509. The US has the highest number at 1,871.

Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation was the highest-ranked Indian think tank with a political party affiliation in the world, getting a rank of 31st, among 38 such institutions. India Foundation and Vivekananda International Foundation were ranked 36th and 37th on that list.

The 2019 GGTTI Nomination and Ranking Criteria included think tank's leadership, staff reputation, quality and reputation of the research and analysis produced, ability to recruit and retain elite scholars, analysts, academic performance, reputation, the impact of a think-tank's research and programs on policymakers and reputation with policymakers.

Also, quality, number, and reach of its publications were criteria, the report said.

ORF remained the most featured Indian think tank, being ranked in 26 categories and the highest-ranked in India in 14 categories.

Among non-US think tanks globally, ORF was ranked 15th - moving up from the 24th place last year. It ranked 3rd among the Think Tanks in the region - China, India, Japan and South Korea (ORF was ranked 4th last year).