India
Asia · Southern Asia
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World's most populous and fastest-growing economy, with extreme diversity in living standards.
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At a Glance
📈India's Human Development Index
0.644
Medium human development#132 of 191 countries worldwide, #35 of 43 in Asia.
Higher than 31% of countries with data. UNDP Human Development Report.
UNDP builds the index from three dimensions: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable, and a decent standard of living. They are measured by life expectancy at birth, mean and expected years of schooling, and gross national income per capita.
Closest indicators in this dataset
World Bank, own vintages. UNDP’s own component values are not carried here, so these are related measures rather than the index inputs.
Nearest countries by HDI
Full HDI ranking, all 191 countries →India
India is a subcontinent of overwhelming scale and diversity, where dozens of distinct cultures, cuisines, religions, and landscapes coexist in a density of experience that has no parallel anywhere in the world. From the Himalayan north to the tropical south, from the deserts of Rajasthan to the backwaters of Kerala, every region demands its own exploration. It can be intense and logistically demanding, but those who embrace it fully tend to find it one of the most transformative journeys possible.
- More vegetarians than the rest of the world combined.
- Invented chess, yoga, and the number zero.
- Largest democracy on earth — roughly 900 million eligible voters.
Quick Facts
Capital
New Delhi
Languages
English, Hindi, Tamil
Currency
₹ INR
Area
2.97M km²
Nomad Hub
Fixed Broadband
62Mbps
Mobile
129Mbps
GDP / Capita
$3K
PPP / Capita
$12K
Inflation
2.4%
Unemployment
4.2%
Innovation (GII)
38.2
GNI / Capita
$3K
Tax Revenue
6.9%
FDI Inflows
1.0%
Education Spend
4.1%
Cost of Living
18.9
Price Level Index
95th pct
20-Year Trend + IMF Forecast
Income & inflation over time
HDI since 1990
0.434 → 0.644 (+0.210)Year by year →UNDP Human Development Report, 2023-24 edition. 33 annual values, none interpolated; hover any point for its year.
Twenty years here
Year by year →The world report →World Bank observations, first to last available year per indicator (roughly 2005–2024; each series has its own window).
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💬Quick answers
What is India's Human Development Index?
India's Human Development Index is 0.644 (UNDP Human Development Report), ranked #132 of 191 countries.
Is India safe?
India scores 2.41 on the Global Peace Index (lower is more peaceful), ranked #126 of 160 countries by the Institute for Economics & Peace. That measures national-level peace, not street crime; both are covered below.
How expensive is India?
Numbeo's cost-of-living index puts India at 18.9 (New York = 100); that is #2 cheapest of 143 countries with data.
What is life expectancy in India?
Life expectancy at birth in India is 72.2 yrs (World Bank), ranked #117 of 195 countries.
What is the quality of life in India?
Numbeo's quality-of-life index scores India at 122.3, ranked #61 of 87 countries with data. It composites purchasing power, safety, healthcare, cost of living, commute and pollution from resident surveys, so it reflects what residents report rather than what an economy produces.