India has dropped one position to 25th in the 2026 Gender Equality in Chess Index, even as its overall score improved slightly. The index, released on International Women’s Day, assesses female participation and progress in chess across 119 federations. While India's performance in competitions remains strong, low participation rates among women contributed to the slip.
The second edition of the Gender Equality in Chess Index (GECI) was published on March 8 by the FIDE Women in Chess Commission and the University of Queensland. This report evaluates women's involvement in chess through three key metrics: participation, performance, and progress.
Mongolia retained its top spot with a score of 89.26, followed by Sri Lanka at 86.99 and Uganda at 84.62. These leading positions stayed the same as in the 2023 edition.
For India, the overall GECI score rose from 68.54 in 2023 to 71.04 in 2026, yet the country fell from 24th to 25th place. The performance score improved markedly to 97.49 from 88.31, highlighting the competitiveness of Indian women players on the international stage. Participation edged up slightly to 18.72 from 18.38, but remains low compared to other nations. The progress score dipped marginally to 49.09 from 49.59.
The decline in ranking stems from faster improvements elsewhere. The United Arab Emirates advanced 73 positions, while the Maldives and Uzbekistan also rose significantly, overtaking India.
Observers note that greater efforts are needed to boost women's participation in chess within India. The All India Chess Federation (AICF), currently led by president Nitin Narang with an all-male board, could focus on encouraging girls across age groups and including female representation on its leadership.
