According to the World Bank’s Spring 2025 Poverty and Equity Brief, India is the fourth most equal country in the world after the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Belarus on the basis of Gini Index score.
India’s Gini Index Ranking (2022 Data)
| Rank | Country | Gini Index Score |
| 1 | Slovak Republic | 24.1 |
| 2 | Slovenia | 24.3 |
| 3 | Belarus | 24.4 |
| 4 | India | 25.5 |
| 5 | Ukraine | 25.6 |
| 6 | Netherlands | 25.7 |
| 7 | Moldova | 25.9 |
| 8 | Czechia | 25.9 |
| 9 | Belgium | 26.4 |
Key Highlights
- India ranks 4th globally in income equality.
- Achieved greater income equality with Gini score of 25.5 (2022-23), improvement from 28.8 (2011-12).
- India outperforms all G7 and G20 countries, including USA (41.8), UK (34.4), and China (35.7).
- India falls into the ‘moderately low’ inequality category (Gini scores between 25 and 30), and is only a fraction away from joining the “low inequality” group.
- The report states India is now the world’s 4th-largest economy and one of the most equal societies.
- The term “most equal country” refers to even distribution of income/consumption.
- Under WB’s revised extreme poverty threshold of $3.00 per day, the 2022-23 poverty rate would be adjusted to 5.3%.
- Extreme poverty (living on less than $2.15 per day) fell from 16.2% in 2011-12 to 2.3% in 2022-23, lifting 171 million people above this line.
India’s Poverty Reduction – Revised World Bank Poverty Line
| Metric | 2011–12 | 2022–23 |
| Poverty Line ($/day) | $2.15 | $3.00 |
| Extreme Poverty Rate (%) | 27.1% | 5.3% |
| No. of People in Extreme Poverty (mn) | 344.47 million | 75.24 million |
India lifted 171 million people out of extreme poverty over the decade.
About Gini Index
- Measures income/consumption inequality within a country.
- Scale: 0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality.
- Developed in 1912 by Corrado Gini, Italian statistician.
- Data Sources: Government household surveys, World Bank, Luxembourg Income Study for HICs.
Why It Matters
- Demonstrates India’s success in inclusive economic growth.
- Underscores role of targeted welfare programs and social safety nets.
- Shows India’s potential to transition into “low inequality” category.