Current Context: According to the World Bank’s Spring 2025 report, India’s Gini Index is 25.5, placing it as the 4th most equal society globally (after Slovakia, Slovenia, and Belarus)
About GINI INDEX
- Definition: Measures income/wealth inequality on a scale from 0 (perfect equality) to 100 (perfect inequality).
- Calculation: Based on Lorenz curve—cumulative income vs population percentiles.
- India’s Improvement: Score improved from 28.8 in 2011 to 25.5 in 2022.
Relevance & concerns
- Reflects reduced extreme poverty—falling to 2.3% (under $2.15/day).
- India compares favorably against China (35.7) and high-inequality G7 economies.
- Note: This measures consumption inequality; income inequality may remain high as per alternate data sources