India has secured the 130th position out of 193 countries in the 2025 Human Development Index (HDI). This represents a positive shift for India, climbing three positions from its 2022 ranking of 133.
New Delhi: India has demonstrated significant progress in the 2025 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report (HDR), achieving the 130th rank among 193 countries in the Human Development Index (HDI). This is a three-place jump from its 2022 ranking of 133. This improvement is attributed to advancements in India's education, health, and economic sectors.
India's HDI score now stands at 0.685, placing it in the medium human development category. However, this remains slightly below high human development (HDI ≥ 0.700). The report also highlights that inequality has reduced India's HDI by 30.7%, one of the highest such reductions. Despite this, India's progress offers a beacon of hope, signifying a significant stride towards its socio-economic development goals.
Improvements in the Education Sector: Increased Years of Schooling and Life Expectancy
According to the UN report, life expectancy in India has risen from 71.7 years to 72 years, the highest ever recorded. This indicates an improvement in the health status of Indian citizens and their ability to live longer, healthier lives. Furthermore, average years of schooling have increased to 6.88 years from 6.57 years previously. However, the report also suggests that the projected years of schooling haven't seen significant change, hinting at remaining challenges within the education sector.
The report commends India's education policies, particularly post-1990 initiatives such as the Right to Education Act, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, and the New Education Policy 2020. Through these policies, the government has strived to promote education at all levels. Nevertheless, the report acknowledges the need for improvements in the quality of education and learning outcomes.
Economic Progress: Increased Per Capita Income and Poverty Reduction
India's per capita Gross National Income (GNI) has increased from USD 8,475.68 in 2021 to USD 9,046.76, reflecting the strength of the Indian economy. The report further indicates that India's HDI has grown by over 53% since 1990, exceeding the global average and the rate of progress in South Asian countries.
This growth is largely attributed to India's economic policies and social security schemes such as Ayushman Bharat, Janani Suraksha Yojana, Poshan Abhiyan, MNREGA, Jan Dhan Yojana, and digital inclusion initiatives. Furthermore, between 2015-16 and 2019-21, 135 million Indians escaped multidimensional poverty, marking a significant step towards India's economic advancement.
India's Growth in Artificial Intelligence (AI)
The report also highlights India's emergence as a leader in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI). 20% of Indian AI researchers are now working within the country, compared to almost zero in 2019. This signifies the development of a robust infrastructure for AI research and development in India.
The application of AI is expanding across agriculture, healthcare, education, and other sectors in India, contributing to overall development. The government has implemented various schemes to broaden the use of AI, aiming for nationwide accessibility.
However, the UNDP cautions that global human development progress has slowed to its lowest rate ever, a cause for concern. The report indicates a deceleration in global development, emphasizing the need for countries to enhance the effectiveness of their policies.
