Announcing the Top 5 localities leading the Local Innovation Index in 2025

According to the results, Hanoi continues to affirm its No. 1 position, leading the country with the highest score. Ho Chi Minh City is ranked 2nd, Quang Ninh is ranked 3rd, followed by Hai Phong in 4th and Hue city in 5th. This is also the third consecutive year that Hanoi has held the leading position in the country, with 18/52 component indexes at the top.

The Local Innovation Index (PII) comprehensively and objectively reflects the picture of socio -economic development based on science, technology and innovation of each locality. The index not only points out strengths and weaknesses, but also identifies the potential and necessary conditions to promote innovation.

Piloted since 2022 and officially deployed nationwide from 2023, PII quickly became an important tool to help localities plan policies and development strategies.

Local innovation index results in 2025.

In 2nd place, Ho Chi Minh City is a large locality with many favorable conditions for socio-economic development based on science, technology and innovation. This is also the third consecutive year that Ho Chi Minh City holds the 2nd position. In 2025, Ho Chi Minh City leads in the Infrastructure pillar and has 13/52 indexes leading the country. Meanwhile, Quang Ninh is continuously in the Top 10 PII in 2023 and 2024. In 2025, Quang Ninh has risen to the Top 3 when it is at the top of 7 indexes in PII 2025.

Hai Phong City ranked 4th as a locality with developed industry and advantages in logistics and seaports. This is also the locality leading the Institutional pillar in PII 2025.

In 5th place, Hue city is a locality with a developed service sector and strengths in human capital, research and development.

Hanoi city has held the leading position in the PII index nationwide for 3 consecutive years.

PII is a Vietnamese initiative, built according to international standards, based on the methodology and calculation techniques transferred by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) from the Global Innovation Index (GII).

The PII has been independently verified by WIPO experts, confirming that it meets international quality standards in statistics and methodology. It is also the only toolkit currently available that allows for a comprehensive assessment of the socio-economic development model based on science, technology and innovation at the local level.

WIPO highly appreciates Vietnam's approach, considering it a model for many other countries to learn from when implementing similar indexes.

According to the GII 2025 Report, Vietnam ranks 44/139 economies, 2nd/37 in the lower middle-income group and 9th in the Southeast Asia, East Asia and Oceania regions. Notably, over the past decade, Vietnam has maintained outstanding performance compared to its income level.

Some indicators clearly show Vietnam's competitive advantages including: The proportion of high-tech import and export in trade, creative goods export, labor productivity growth and mobile application innovation.

The development of PII 2025 is carried out transparently and objectively, with data collected from central and local ministries and branches. This is an important basis for the Government and provinces and cities to develop appropriate strategies and policies, promote potential, overcome limitations, thereby promoting widespread innovation across the country.

Center for Science and Technology Communication

Source: https://mst.gov.vn/cong-bo-top-5-dia-phuong-dan-dau-chi-so-doi-moi-sang-tao-cap-dia-phuong-nam-2025-19725100120081669.htm