India’s ranking on the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI) has seen a notable ascent in the latest report. Moving up one position from the previous year, India now stands at 134 out of 193 countries ranked. The increase marks a notable advancement following declines in 2020 and 2021. This report is a part of the recently published 2023/24 Human Development Report titled “Breaking the Gridlock: Reimagining Cooperation in a Polarized World.”
Rising through the ranks
While India celebrates its advancement on the HDI front, the Gender Inequality Index (GII) paints a more nuanced picture. Ranked at 108 out of 193 countries in 2022, India demonstrates a leap of 14 ranks compared to the previous year. However, challenges persist, notably in the glaring gender gap within the labor force participation rate. India has one of the largest gender gaps in its labour force participation rate — a 47.8 per cent difference between women (28.3 per cent) and men (76.1 per cent), the report stated.
Notably, India demonstrated progress in reducing gender inequality. The country’s GII value of 0.437 is better than the global and South Asian averages, according to the report.
A longitudinal perspective
India’s journey towards improved human development is characterised by steady growth. Over the past few decades, the country has witnessed substantial advancements in various metrics. From a 9.1-year increase in life expectancy since 1990 to a remarkable surge in GNI per capita, India’s progress is palpable.
“Since 1990…expected years of schooling have increased by 4.6 years and mean years of schooling have grown by 3.8 years. India’s GNI per capita has grown by approximately 287 per cent,” the report said.
With an HDI value of 0.644, the latest HDR places India in the medium human development category. Between 1990 and 2022, the country saw its HDI value increase by 48.4 per cent, from 0.434 in 1990 to 0.644 in 2022.
“India’s performance in reproductive health is better than other countries in the medium human development group or South Asia. India’s adolescent birth rate in 2022 was 16.3 (births per 1,000 women ages 15-19), an improvement from 17.1 in 2021,” it said.
Global trends and challenges
However, amidst India’s strides, global trends warrant attention. The UNDP report highlights a concerning reversal in the two-decade-long trend of reducing inequalities between wealthy and poor nations. As referenced in the report, almost 40 per cent of the global trade in goods is concentrated in three or fewer countries. In 2021, the market capitalisation of each of the three largest tech companies surpassed the gross domestic product (GDP) of more than 90 per cent of countries that year.
India’s loss in HDI due to inequality is 31.1 per cent. South Asia’s loss in the HDI due to inequality is among the highest in the world (after Sub-Saharan Africa), followed by the Pacific.
“Despite our deeply interconnected global societies, we are falling short. We must leverage our interdependence as well as our capacities to address our shared and existential challenges and ensure people’s aspirations are met,”UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner said.