India ranked 118th out of 147 countries in the Happiness Index 2025, showing a slight improvement from the previous year but still trailing behind.
Economic inequality, neglected mental health services, and widespread perceptions of corruption are the major factors contributing to India’s low happiness ranking.
Experts suggest India to translate economic growth into real improvements in citizens’ well-being to be able to climb higher in the global happiness rankings.
India ranked 118th out of 147 countries this year in the Happiness Index 2025, showing a slight improvement from its previous year’s position of 126th. Although this progress is a step in the right direction, India still trails behind a number of its regional peers including Iran, Pakistan and Ukraine ranked 110th, 109th and 111th respectively. The report throws light on a crucial point that economic growth alone does not always co-relate to citizens’ happiness and life satisfaction.
Finland is leading the global happiness ranking for the eight consecutive years with an impressive score of 7.736, closely followed by Denmark, Iceland, Sweden and the Netherlands. These countries are all renowned for having good social welfare systems, low corruption rates and high personal liberty. Mexico’s entry into the top 10 ranks of the index stands as a noteworthy development in this year’s report, reflecting improvements in its social connections and quality of life. Praised for its community-focused policies and progressive social governance, Costa Rica rose to the sixth position. The United States, on the other hand, fell to its lowest-ever position of 25th owing to its growing political polarization and eroding social trust.
India’s comparatively low ranking in the index highlights a number of enduring challenges. The benefits of its growth still remain unevenly distributed despite decades of strong economic growth and global acknowledgement as a rising power. Millions of citizens are still plagued by poverty, lack of access to quality education, inadequate healthcare and poor sanitation, suggesting that economic inequality is what is holding back India’s progress. These differences overshadow the country’s economic achievements, negatively impacting the general well-being of the population.
Another key indicator of happiness that varies throughout India is social support. A large segment of the population is left vulnerable in the absence of comprehensive, state-run social safety nets even with many families and local communities maintaining strong bonds of support. This contrasts with the government-supported welfare systems of the top-ranked countries that guarantee reliable assistance to its citizens in times of need.
Mental health is another important issue that frequently gets neglected despite its growing awareness. Reports suggest widespread underreporting of depression, anxiety and other mental disorders because of lack of access to mental health services. India’s lower ranking in the Happiness Index 2025 is a result of the lack of attention to people’s psychological well-being.
Furthermore, the score is weakened by the perception of governance and corruption. The public has lost its trust in government institutions due to widespread dissatisfaction over bureaucratic inefficiencies and systemic corruption. Daily interaction with red tape and opaque decision-making procedures has further fueled feelings of powerlessness and dissatisfaction.
Although there’s a rise in the ranking of India in the Happiness Index 2025, there still remains a long and difficult road ahead. Experts suggest that a diverse approach would help achieve significant and meaningful progress. The country should prioritize incorporating inclusive policies, growing and strengthening social welfare programs, raising mental health awareness and services, and enhancing transparency in governance to ensure reduced income inequality.
Ultimately, India needs to focus on translating economic progress into real growth in people’s life for it to climb higher in the global index. It is high time we understand that genuine well-being is about security, personal freedom, meaningful social connections and the ability to live a dignified life, not just GDP figures. India needs to address these fundamental issues to be able to rank among the happiest nations in the upcoming years. [Rh/SY]
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