Compared with the world
India against twelve chosen economies — four it is trying to catch, four comparable emerging economies, four neighbours. Each row shows where India places within that set of thirteen on the most recent year available.
Position, not distance. The units here are incommensurable — dollars, index points, cases per lakh — so a shared scale would be a fiction. Being 2nd of 13 says nothing about whether the gap to 1st is a hair or a chasm; the indicator page shows that.
The comparison set
Pick a country for the full head-to-head.
Catching: China, United States, Japan, GermanyPeers: Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa, VietnamNeighbours: Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal
India places highest on
| 1 / 10 | Global Hunger Index 25.8 · 2025 |
| 1 / 13 | Income inequality (Gini) 23 · 2023 |
| 1 / 13 | Remittances received $151B · 2025 |
India places lowest on
| 13 / 13 | Arms imports 2,86,30,00,000 · 2025 |
| 12 / 13 | Executive corruption 0.688 · 2025 |
| 12 / 13 | Women's political participation 0.708 · 2025 |
Economy
| Place | Measure |
|---|---|
| 1 / 13 | Income inequality (Gini) 23 Gini index (0 = equal) · 2023 · ahead of all twelve |
| 1 / 13 | Remittances received $151B US$ · 2025 · ahead of all twelve |
| 2 / 13 | GDP growth 7.6% % per year · 2025 · behind Vietnam |
| 2 / 13 | Investment rate 34.6% % of GDP · 2025 · behind China |
| 4 / 13 | Share of world services exports 4.3% % of world commercial services exports · 2025 · behind China, Germany |
| 5 / 13 | GDP, current US$ $4.0T US$ · 2025 · behind Germany, Japan |
| 5 / 10 | Central government debt 46.5% % of GDP · 2018 · behind Bangladesh, Nepal |
| 5 / 13 | Consumer price inflation 2.4% % per year · 2025 · behind Indonesia, Germany |
| 5 / 13 | Exports of goods and services 22.3% % of GDP · 2025 · behind South Africa, Indonesia |
| 5 / 13 | Foreign-exchange reserves 7.85 months of imports · 2025 · behind China, Brazil |
| 5 / 13 | Share of world goods exports 1.8% % of world merchandise exports · 2024 · behind Germany, Japan |
| 5 / 13 | International tourist arrivals 98,24,000 arrivals · 2024 · behind Japan, Indonesia |
| 6 / 13 | Foreign direct investment, net inflows $41B US$ · 2025 · behind Brazil, Japan |
| 6 / 13 | Travel & Tourism Development Index 4.42 score (1-7) · 2026 · behind China, Indonesia |
| 7 / 13 | Extreme poverty 2.6% % below $2.15/day · 2023 · behind Vietnam, Nepal |
| 8 / 13 | Unemployment rate 4.2% % of labour force · 2025 · behind Sri Lanka, United States |
| 8 / 13 | Manufacturing output 13.5% % of GDP · 2025 · behind Germany, Sri Lanka |
| 9 / 10 | External debt stock $716B US$ · 2024 · behind Indonesia, Brazil |
| 9 / 13 | Labour-force participation 55.7% % of population 15+ · 2025 · behind Germany, Bangladesh |
| 9 / 13 | Index of Economic Freedom 52.5 score (0-100) · 2026 · behind Bangladesh, Nepal |
| 10 / 13 | GDP per capita, PPP $11,748 international $ · 2025 · behind Sri Lanka, South Africa |
| 10 / 13 | Poverty at $3.65 a day 16.1% % below $3.65/day · 2023 · behind Sri Lanka, Indonesia |
| 10 / 13 | Women in the labour force 32.4% % of women 15+ · 2025 · behind South Africa, Bangladesh |
| 11 / 13 | GNI per capita, Atlas method $2,760 US$ · 2025 · behind Sri Lanka, Bangladesh |
| 11 / 11 | Tax revenue 6.9% % of GDP · 2022 · behind Bangladesh, China |
| 11 / 13 | Cereal yield 3,633 kg per hectare · 2024 · behind South Africa, Sri Lanka |
| 11 / 13 | Current account balance -0.5% % of GDP · 2025 · behind Pakistan, South Africa |
| 12 / 13 | Farm output per worker 2,159 US$ (constant 2015) · 2025 · behind Sri Lanka, Pakistan |
Governance
| Place | Measure |
|---|---|
| 2 / 13 | Prison population rate 37 per 100,000 people · 2023 · behind Japan |
| 2 / 13 | UN peacekeeping contributions 4,278 uniformed personnel (troops, staff officers, military experts on mission, police) · 2026-02 · behind Nepal |
| 5 / 13 | Rule of law -0.129 estimate (−2.5 to +2.5) · 2025 · behind United States, South Africa |
| 5 / 13 | Government effectiveness 0.502 estimate (−2.5 to +2.5) · 2025 · behind United States, China |
| 5 / 13 | Political rights (Freedom House) 31 score out of 40 · 2025 · behind South Africa, United States |
| 6 / 13 | Global Diplomacy Index 194 diplomatic posts · 2024 · behind Germany, Brazil |
| 6 / 13 | Global Soft Power Index 48 score (0-100) · 2026 · behind Germany, Brazil |
| 7 / 13 | Corruption Perceptions Index 39 · 2025 · behind South Africa, Vietnam |
| 7 / 13 | Voice and accountability -0.152 estimate (−2.5 to +2.5) · 2025 · behind Brazil, Sri Lanka |
| 7 / 13 | Control of corruption -0.279 estimate (−2.5 to +2.5) · 2025 · behind Vietnam, South Africa |
| 8 / 13 | Regulatory quality -0.17 estimate (−2.5 to +2.5) · 2025 · behind China, Vietnam |
| 8 / 13 | Judicial checks on government 0.667 0–1 · 2025 · behind United States, Nepal |
| 8 / 13 | Civil liberties (Freedom House) 31 score out of 60 · 2025 · behind Sri Lanka, Nepal |
| 9 / 13 | World Press Freedom Index 32 · 2026 · behind Brazil, Nepal |
| 9 / 13 | Electoral democracy 0.377 0–1 · 2025 · behind Nepal, Indonesia |
| 9 / 13 | Liberal democracy 0.26 0–1 · 2025 · behind Nepal, Indonesia |
| 9 / 13 | Public sector corruption 0.692 0–1 (higher is worse) · 2025 · behind China, Nepal |
| 10 / 13 | Political stability and absence of violence -0.608 estimate (−2.5 to +2.5) · 2025 · behind Brazil, Nepal |
| 10 / 13 | Political corruption 0.684 0–1 (higher is worse) · 2025 · behind China, Nepal |
| 10 / 13 | Open Budget Index 44 score 0-100 · 2025 · behind Vietnam, Pakistan |
| 10 / 13 | WJP Rule of Law Index 0.49 score 0-1 · 2025 · behind Brazil, Vietnam |
| 11 / 13 | Freedom of expression 0.458 0–1 · 2025 · behind Pakistan, Bangladesh |
| 11 / 13 | Military expenditure 2.3% % of GDP · 2025 · behind Vietnam, Germany |
| 11 / 13 | Global Peace Index 2.41 score (1-5, lower = more peaceful) · 2026 · behind South Africa, Brazil |
| 11 / 12 | Pre-trial detainees 72.6% % of total prison population · 2024 · behind Bangladesh, Sri Lanka |
| 12 / 13 | Executive corruption 0.688 0–1 (higher is worse) · 2025 · behind Bangladesh, Pakistan |
| 12 / 13 | Global Terrorism Index 6.43 score (0-10, higher = greater impact of terrorism) · 2026 · behind United States, Indonesia |
| 13 / 13 | Arms imports 2,86,30,00,000 SIPRI trend-indicator value · 2025 · behind Germany, Japan |
Society
| Place | Measure |
|---|---|
| 1 / 10 | Global Hunger Index 25.8 · 2025 · ahead of all twelve |
| 5 / 13 | Government spending on education 4.1% % of GDP · 2022 · behind United States, Germany |
| 7 / 13 | Childhood immunisation 94.0% % of children 12–23 months · 2024 · behind Sri Lanka, Nepal |
| 7 / 10 | Child marriage 22.3% % of women 20-24 married by 18 · 2021 · behind Indonesia, Pakistan |
| 8 / 13 | Homicide rate 2.82 per 100,000 people · 2022 · behind Nepal, Bangladesh |
| 8 / 13 | Maternal mortality 80 per 100,000 live births · 2023 · behind Vietnam, Brazil |
| 8 / 13 | Tuberculosis incidence 187 per 100,000 people · 2024 · behind Sri Lanka, Vietnam |
| 8 / 13 | Suicide rate 12.6 per 100,000 people · 2021 · behind China, Nepal |
| 8 / 13 | Higher-education enrolment 34.4% % gross · 2025 · behind Indonesia, Vietnam |
| 8 / 12 | English Proficiency Index 484 EF EPI score · 2025 · behind Pakistan, Sri Lanka |
| 8 / 10 | Multidimensional Poverty Index 0.069 MPI value (0-1) · 2019-2021 · behind South Africa, Bangladesh |
| 9 / 13 | Life expectancy at birth 72.2 years · 2024 · behind Bangladesh, Vietnam |
| 9 / 13 | Out-of-pocket health spending 43.9% % of health spending · 2023 · behind China, Vietnam |
| 9 / 13 | Hospital beds per 1,000 1.59 per 1,000 people · 2021 · behind Vietnam, South Africa |
| 9 / 13 | Fertility rate 1.96 births per woman · 2024 · behind Sri Lanka, Nepal |
| 9 / 13 | Gender Inequality Index 0.403 index (0 = equal) · 2023 · behind South Africa, Brazil |
| 9 / 13 | Women, Business and the Law 74.4 score out of 100 · 2023 · behind Japan, China |
| 9 / 13 | Universal health coverage index 69 index out of 100 · 2023 · behind Sri Lanka, Vietnam |
| 9 / 13 | Legatum Prosperity Index 60.7 score (0-100) · 2026 · behind Vietnam, South Africa |
| 10 / 13 | Human Development Index 0.685 · 2023 · behind South Africa, Indonesia |
| 10 / 13 | Human Capital Index 0.494 0–1 · 2020 · behind Indonesia, Nepal |
| 10 / 12 | Learning poverty 56.1% % of 10-year-olds · 2017 · behind Bangladesh, Indonesia |
| 10 / 13 | Average years of schooling 7.8 years (adults) · 2020 · behind Vietnam, Brazil |
| 10 / 13 | Social Progress Index 58.8 score (0-100) · 2025 · behind Sri Lanka, South Africa |
| 11 / 13 | Under-five mortality 3.6% % of children dying before age 5 · 2019 · behind Nepal, Bangladesh |
| 11 / 13 | World Happiness Report 4.54 · 2026 · behind South Africa, Pakistan |
| 11 / 13 | Doctors per 1,000 0.723 per 1,000 people · 2020 · behind Nepal, South Africa |
| 11 / 13 | Undernourishment 9.8% % of population · 2024 · behind Indonesia, Bangladesh |
| 11 / 13 | Sex ratio at birth 1.07 male births per female birth · 2024 · behind Germany, Indonesia |
| 11 / 13 | Expected years of schooling 13 years (a child starting now) · 2023 · behind Indonesia, Sri Lanka |
| 12 / 13 | Women's political participation 0.708 0–1 · 2025 · behind Sri Lanka, China |
| 12 / 13 | Women in the Lok Sabha 13.8% % of lower-chamber seats · 2025 · behind Pakistan, Japan |
| 12 / 13 | Child stunting 35.5% % of under-fives · 2020 · behind Bangladesh, Nepal |
| 12 / 13 | Global Gender Gap Index 0.645 index (0-1, 1 = parity) · 2026 · behind Nepal, Sri Lanka |
Environment
| Place | Measure |
|---|---|
| 3 / 13 | Solar generation 196 TWh · 2025 · behind China, United States |
| 3 / 10 | Climate Change Performance Index 61.3 score (0-100) · 2026 · behind Pakistan, Germany |
| 5 / 13 | CO₂ emissions per person 2.17 tonnes per person · 2024 · behind Pakistan, Sri Lanka |
| 8 / 13 | Tree cover loss 1,25,678 hectares per year · 2024 · behind Japan, Germany |
| 9 / 13 | Renewable share of electricity 24.1% % of generation · 2025 · behind China, United States |
| 9 / 13 | Forest cover 24.4% % of land area · 2024 · behind United States, Germany |
| 9 / 13 | Energy Transition Index 54.9 score (0-100) · 2026 · behind Indonesia, Sri Lanka |
| 9 / 13 | ND-GAIN Country Index 44.4 score (0-100, higher = less vulnerable and more ready to adapt) · 2024 · behind Vietnam, Sri Lanka |
| 10 / 13 | Water stress 66.5% % of available freshwater withdrawn · 2022 · behind Japan, China |
| 11 / 13 | CO₂ emissions, total 3,154 million tonnes · 2024 · behind Indonesia, Japan |
Innovation
| Place | Measure |
|---|---|
| 3 / 13 | Scientific articles published 2,28,174 articles per year · 2023 · behind China, United States |
| 3 / 9 | Hurun Global Unicorn Index 61 unicorns (count) · 2026 · behind United States, China |
| 4 / 13 | Patent applications 63,217 applications by residents · 2024 · behind United States, Japan |
| 5 / 13 | Global AI Index 21 score (0-100, top-scoring country = 100) · 2025 · behind Germany, Japan |
| 6 / 12 | Research & development spending 0.6% % of GDP · 2020 · behind China, Brazil |
| 6 / 13 | Universities in the world top 500 3 universities · 2027 · behind Japan, South Africa |
| 10 / 12 | Researchers 259.3 per million people · 2020 · behind South Africa, Indonesia |
Infrastructure
| Place | Measure |
|---|---|
| 3 / 12 | Rail network 68,103 route-km · 2021 · behind United States, China |
| 5 / 12 | Safely managed drinking water 76.4% % of population · 2024 · behind United States, Brazil |
| 6 / 10 | Safely managed sanitation 62.8% % of population · 2024 · behind South Africa, China |
| 7 / 13 | Access to electricity 99.9% % of population · 2024 · behind Vietnam, Sri Lanka |
| 7 / 12 | Liner shipping connectivity 58.9 index (max in 2004 = 100) · 2021 · behind Sri Lanka, Japan |
| 8 / 13 | Electricity use per person 1,423 kWh per person per year · 2025 · behind Brazil, Vietnam |
| 9 / 13 | Access to clean cooking fuel 81.0% % of population · 2024 · behind Indonesia, South Africa |
Digital
| Place | Measure |
|---|---|
| 1 / 10 | Real-time payments 129.3 billion real-time transactions per year · 2024 · ahead of all twelve |
| 2 / 13 | Mobile data price 0.16 US$ per 1GB · 2023 · behind Pakistan |
| 4 / 13 | Global Cybersecurity Index 98.5 score out of 100 (0-1 scale in the 2014, 2017 and 2018 editions) · 2024 · behind United States, Vietnam |
| 5 / 13 | Adults with a bank account 89.0% % of adults 15+ · 2024 · behind United States, China |
| 6 / 13 | Government AI Readiness Index 66.6 score (0-100) · 2025 · behind Japan, Brazil |
| 6 / 12 | Mobile internet speed 128.2 Mbps · 2026-08 · behind United States, China |
| 6 / 13 | Network Readiness Index 54.4 score (0-100) · 2025 · behind China, Vietnam |
| 9 / 13 | Individuals using the internet 70.0% % of population · 2025 · behind South Africa, Indonesia |
| 9 / 13 | E-Government Development Index 0.668 EGDI (0-1) · 2024 · behind Indonesia, Vietnam |
| 12 / 13 | Mobile subscriptions 79.4 per 100 people · 2024 · behind Brazil, Nepal |
| 12 / 13 | Fixed broadband 3.15 per 100 people · 2024 · behind South Africa, Indonesia |