India has been ranked as the fourth most equal country in the world by the World Bank’s Spring 2025 Poverty and Equity Brief, with a Gini coefficient of 25.5. It joins Slovakia, Slovenia, and Belarus in the top 4, reflecting significant strides in poverty reduction and inclusive growth.

Key Points:

• India’s Gini index dropped to 25.5 in 2022–23, placing it 4th globally in income equality behind Slovakia (24.1), Slovenia (24.3), and Belarus (24.4).
• This ranking is based on consumption-based inequality and highlights India's shift towards more equitable growth across rural and urban populations.
• India’s extreme poverty rate has plummeted from 16.2% in 2011–12 to 2.3% in 2022–23, lifting over 171 million people out of poverty.
• Major contributors include welfare programs such as Jan Dhan Yojana, Aadhaar-enabled DBT, Ayushman Bharat, and PM Garib Kalyan Yojana.
• Despite its progress, experts caution that wealth and gender-based inequality may still be underreported in Gini-based assessments.