In terms of real innovation, actual ranking numbers, IMO, don't really matter.
I think its more useful to put countries in terms of categories like this:
"upstream technology producer" - produces the machines that make other machines i.e. photolithography machines, CNC mills and presses, etc. as well as the highest end manufactured goods such as parts for aerospace and power, semiconductor components, medical devices, etc.
"downstream technology producer" - produces manufactured goods, whether high or low tech, using machines imported from advanced economies, as well as some lower end versions of process machinery.
"technology consumer" - countries that do not produce manufactured goods, or very little, and are mostly importers of technology.
Examples of each category:
US, Germany in the 1st.
Thailand, Malaysia in the 2nd.
most countries not in East/Southeast Asia, Europe or North America in the 3rd.
I'd put South Korea and China at between 1st and 2nd, with South Korea closer to 1st and China closer to 2nd, but obviously above countries like Thailand and Malaysia in industrial levels. I'd put India at between 2nd and 3rd, with India having obvious strengths in manufacturing, but not a complete supply chain and definitely needing to import many components or process machinery.
