The Wadhwani/Nathan Breakthrough Index, compiled by Nathan Associates and the Center for Strategic & International Studies, made its debut with a ranking of industrial land policy in India’s 29 states.

The southeastern coastal state of Andhra Pradesh scored the highest, with 19.24 of a possible 21, followed by neighboring Telangana at 18.01. Haryana, in the north, ranked third with a 15.91. Only 10 states scored higher than 10. The lowest-ranking states were in the northeast.

“The difficulty of acquiring land for large-scale industrial development remains one of the main obstacles stalling planned projects and deterring new investment,” the researchers found. They scored states on two main factors the size of a state’s land holdings and the standard term for leasing that land. Bonus points went to states willing to sell rather than just lease land.

The rankings appeal to state pride and competition for investor dollars. Subsequent monthly reports will examine other “breakthrough” reforms that advance economic development along with business and economic ties between the U.S. and India. Some areas of future coverage include clean energy, ease of doing business, entrepreneurship, and government efficiency.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based research institute, houses the Wadhwani Chair in U.S.-India Policy Studies. Nathan has conducted a pioneering analysis of economic policies, competition, and regulation in India, where the U.S.-based firm has offices.