In the United Nations Development Programme's (UNDP) 2025 Human Development Report (HDR) 2025, India came in at number 130 out of 193 nations and territories on the Human Development Index.
According to the most recent UNDP report, India's HDI value increased from 0.676 in 2022 to 0.685 in 2023, keeping it in the medium human development category but bringing it closer to the high human development threshold (HDI > 0.700). Additionally, it pointed out that India's HDI value has risen by more than 53% since 1990, above both the world and South Asian averages.
What is the Human Development Index?
The Human Development Index (HDI) summarizes average performance in three important areas of human development: having a good standard of living, being informed, and living a long and healthy life. The geometric mean of the normalized indices for the three dimensions is known as the HDI.
How is HDI Measured?
A composite statistical metric known as the Human Development Index (HDI) evaluates a nation's average performance in three important areas:
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Health: Determined by birth expectancy
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Education: Measured using the mean and expected number of years of education.
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Living standards: Determined by gross national income (GNI) per capita (adjusted for PPP)
India’s Rank in Human Development Index
With an HDI value that increased from 0.676 to 0.685, India moved up from 133rd place in 2022 to 130th place in 2023.
While the nation is getting closer to the "high human development" level (HDI > 0.700), it still falls within the "medium human development" category.
India’s Progress Over the Years
Life Expectancy:
As a result of a strong post-pandemic recovery, India's life expectancy increased from 58.6 years in 1990 to 72 years in 2023, which is the highest ever.
The National Health Mission, Ayushman Bharat, Janani Suraksha Yojana, and Poshan Abhiyaan are among the national health initiatives credited with this advancement.
Education:
The average number of years that students in India spend in school has climbed from 8.2 years in 1990 to 13 years today.
Although quality and learning outcomes still need to be addressed, initiatives like the Right to Education Act 2009, National Education Policy 2020, and Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan have enhanced access to schools all over India.
National Income:
Based on 2021 Purchasing Power Parity (PPP), India's gross national income per capita increased by more than four times, from USD 2,167 in 1990 to USD 9,046 in 2023.
Furthermore, 135 million Indians were lifted out of multidimensional poverty between 2015–16 and 2019–21, which helped the HDI rise.
| Human Development Index Progress in India | 2022 | 2023 |
| Rank | 133 | 130 |
| HDI value increased | 0.676 | 0.685 |
| Life Expectancy (years) Increased | 71.70 | 72.00 |
| Expected Years of Schooling (years) Increased | 12.96 | 12.95 |
| Mean Years of Schooling (years) | 6.57 | 6.88 |
| New Gross National Income Per Capita ($ 2021 PPP) | 8475.68 | 9046.76 |
India’s Position Among Its Neighbours
China (78th), Sri Lanka (89th), and Bhutan (125th) are all higher ranked than India among its neighbors, while Bangladesh (130th) is on par with India. India is ranked higher than Nepal (145th), Myanmar (150th), and Pakistan (168th).
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