NITI Aayog releases its first Investment Friendliness Index, ranking Indian states and union territories by their ability to attract, facilitate and sustain long-term investments. Across the sources, Gujarat is reported as the top performer in the index. The ranking is based on eight broad pillars, including infrastructure quality, logistics, availability of skilled human resources, institutional capacity, fiscal health, environmental resilience and regulatory predictability or ease, along with a state’s overall business and government policy environment. Deccan Chronicle attributes Gujarat’s lead to strong infrastructure performance, financial health and easier regulation. Times of India describes the index framework in terms of eight key evaluation areas, matching the factors cited by Mint. Mint adds that the index also considers logistics and institutional capacity, alongside fiscal and environmental measures and regulatory predictability. Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu are mentioned as other leading states in the results, with Maharashtra following Gujarat and Tamil Nadu placed among the top states. The report is presented as an early, baseline assessment of investment friendliness across states and UTs.