New Delhi: India continues its steady rise on the Human Development Index (HDI), ranking 130 out of 193 countries in the 2025 Human Development Report (HDR) released Tuesday by the UN Development Programme.
Between 2022 and 2023, India improved its HDI ranking from 133 to 130, and its HDI value increased from 0.676 in 2022 to 0.685 in 2023. India remained in the medium human development category, moving closer to the threshold for high human development (HDI = 0.700), the report said.
However, the report also pointed out that inequality reduces India’s HDI by 30.7 per cent, one of the highest losses in the region.
While health and education inequality have improved, income and gender disparities remain significant. Female labour force participation and political representation lag, though recent steps such as the constitutional amendment reserving one-third of legislative seats for women offer promise for transformative change, the report said.
In India, the report said life expectancy increased slightly from 71.7 years to 72.0 years, marking the highest level recorded for the country. While expected years of schooling remained nearly unchanged, moving from 12.96 to 12.95 years, mean years of schooling saw a notable increase from 6.57 to 6.88 years.
The report lauded India’s progress in school education, especially from 1990, and credited initiatives like the Right to Education Act, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, and the National Education Policy 2020. However, quality and learning outcomes remain areas for continued focus, it said.
Additionally, India’s Gross National Income (GNI) per capita, measured in 2021 purchasing power parity (PPP), rose from USD 8,475.68 to USD 9,046.76, reflecting ongoing economic growth.
The 2025 HDR, “A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of AI,” highlighted the critical role of artificial intelligence in shaping the next chapter of human development — particularly in fast-growing economies like India.
“We congratulate India on its notable progress in the Human Development Index, rising from rank 133 in 2022 to 130 in 2023. This advancement reflects sustained improvements in key dimensions of human development, particularly in mean years of schooling and national income per capita,” said Angela Lusigi, Resident Representative, UNDP India.
Lusigi further said that India’s life expectancy reaching its highest level since the inception of the index is a testament to the country’s robust recovery from the pandemic and its investments and commitment to long-term human well-being.
India’s HDI value has increased by over 53 per cent since 1990, growing faster than the global and South Asian averages.
This progress has been fueled by economic growth and targeted social protection and welfare programmes.
Life expectancy rose from 58.6 years in 1990 to 72 years in 2023, the highest recorded since the index began. National health programmes by successive governments, such as the National Rural Health Mission, Ayushman Bharat, Janani Suraksha Yojana, and Poshan Abhiyaan, have contributed significantly to this achievement.
On the economic front, India’s Gross National Income per capita rose over four times, from USD 2167.22 (1990) to USD 9046.76 (2023).
“Over the years, India’s progress on economic growth and investments in programmes like MGNREGA, Jan Dhan Yojana, and digital inclusion have contributed to poverty reduction. Importantly, 135 million Indians escaped multidimensional poverty between 2015-16 and 2019-21,” the report said.
The report said India is also positioning itself as a leader in the global AI landscape. The country has the highest self-reported AI skills penetration and is now retaining more of its homegrown AI talent — 20% of Indian AI researchers remain in the country, up from nearly zero in 2019.
AI is being deployed across sectors, from agriculture to healthcare, and new initiatives are underway to democratise AI access.
A new global UNDP survey also reveals growing optimism about AI, with 70% of people expecting it to boost productivity and 64% believing it will create new job opportunities, particularly among youth.
Globally, the report warned of a slowdown in human development progress, the slowest since 1990.
PTI
