India ranks 130th on Human Development Index, says UNDP 2025 report

India ranked 130th on the Human Development Index, out of 193 countries and territories, according to the 2025 Human Development Report (HDR) released on Tuesday by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

 

The latest UNDP report noted that India improved its HDI value from 0.676 in 2022 to 0.685 in 2023, with the country remaining in the medium human development category, although moving closer to the threshold for high human development (HDI ≥ 0.700). It also noted that India’s HDI value has increased by over 53 per cent since 1990, growing faster than both the global and South Asian averages.

 

Iceland, with an HDI value of 0.972, ranked at the top of the Index, followed by Norway and Switzerland. South Sudan was at the bottom at 193 with 0.388. 

 

“This advancement reflects sustained improvements in key dimensions of human development, particularly in mean years of schooling and national income per capita. 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,” said Angela Lusigi, resident representative, UNDP India.

 

However, the report also noted challenges among which inequality is primary as it 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,” said UNDP in a statement.

 

Among India’s neighbours, China (75th), Sri Lanka (78th) and Bhutan (127th) are ranked above India, while Bangladesh (130th) is ranked at par. Nepal (145th), Myanmar (149th), Pakistan (168th) are ranked below India.