The government says India ranks fourth in income equality on World Bank database

India has secured the fourth position globally in income equality, according to a World Bank report cited by the Press Information Bureau (PIB). With a Gini Index score of 25.5, India ranks just behind the Slovak Republic (24.1), Slovenia (24.3), and Belarus (24.4). The Gini Index, which measures income distribution across a population—where zero denotes perfect equality and 100 indicates extreme inequality—places India in the “moderately low” inequality bracket (25–30), edging close to the “low inequality” group. This milestone reflects India’s strides in achieving equitable growth despite its size and diversity, marking a sharp improvement from a score of 28.8 in 2011.
The shift towards equality is underpinned by sustained economic growth and inclusive social policies. As per the World Bank’s Spring 2025 Poverty and Equity Brief, 171 million Indians exited extreme poverty over the last decade. The proportion of people living on less than Rs. 183.96 (US$ 2.15) a day declined from 16.2% in 2011–12 to 2.3% in 2022–23. Under the revised poverty line of Rs. 256.69 (US$ 3.00) per day, the rate stands at 5.3%. Government schemes have played a pivotal role—over 556.9 million Jan Dhan accounts have been opened, Aadhaar has issued more than 1,420 million digital IDs, and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) has saved Rs. 3.48 trillion (US$ 40.60 billion). Initiatives like Ayushman Bharat, PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, Stand-Up India, and PM Vishwakarma Yojana have further bolstered healthcare, entrepreneurship, and welfare access for the most marginalised.

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.