India climbs three spots to 130 on UNDP Human Development Index; shows strong gains in health, education, and AI
India has climbed three spots on the Human Development Index (HDI), ranking 130 in 2023, up from 133 in 2022, according to a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report released on Tuesday.
India’s HDI score rose from 0.676 to 0.685 during the year, keeping the country in the medium human development category but edging it closer to the high development threshold of 0.700, the report said.
India’s latest HDI score of 0.685 is comparable to its neighbours Bangladesh (0.685), and higher than Nepal (0.622) and Pakistan (0.544).
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Sri Lanka (0.776) and Bhutan (0.698), however, remain ahead.
What HDI measures
The HDI measures long-term progress in three key dimensions of human development: health, education, and standard of living.
Titled A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of AI (artificial intelligence), the report highlights global trends in human progress amid technological change.
India’s life expectancy rose from 58.6 years in 1990 to 72 years in 2023—the highest ever recorded—driven by flagship health programmes like the National Rural Health Mission, Ayushman Bharat, Janani Suraksha Yojana, and Poshan Abhiyaan, according to the report.
Interestingly, average years of schooling in India rose from 8.2 in 1990 to 13 in 2023, driven by reforms like the Right to Education Act, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, and the National Education Policy 2020, though the report notes that learning outcomes and quality remain key challenges.
The report noted that India’s GNI (gross national income) per capita surged over fourfold—from $2,167.22 in 1990 to $9,046.76 in 2023 (2021 PPP), with economic growth and social investments, including schemes like MGNREGA, Jan Dhan Yojana, and digital inclusion, helping lift 135 million people out of multidimensional poverty between 2015–16 and 2019–21.
Yet, inequality continues to erode progress—reducing India’s HDI by 30.7%, among the highest in the region, the report said.
While health and education gaps have narrowed, income and gender disparities remain stark, with low female labour force participation and political representation, it added.
“This advancement reflects sustained improvements in key dimensions of human development, particularly in mean years of schooling and national income per capita,” said Angela Lusigi, Resident Representative, UNDP India.
Lusigi said India’s life expectancy has reached its highest level since the inception of the Human Development Index, reflecting the country’s strong post-pandemic recovery and its sustained investment in long-term human well-being.
“With a renewed focus on women-led development, quality education and healthcare for all, India is well positioned to achieve inclusive growth and continued progress on human development,” she added.
Meanwhile, India is fast emerging as a global AI powerhouse, boasting the world’s highest AI skills penetration. The country now retains 20% of its AI researchers—a significant leap from near-zero in 2019, the report noted.
India is harnessing AI for inclusive development, with initiatives ranging from AI-powered agricultural support systems to a national computing infrastructure and state-led skilling programs in Tamil Nadu and Telangana, it added.
