India has moved up four places to rank 130th out of 193 countries in the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI) for 2023, according to the latest report released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Tuesday. The report, titled “A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,” highlights India’s ongoing advancements in health, education, and income but also points to persisting gaps in gender equality and inequality-adjusted development.
India’s HDI score improved from 0.644 in 2022 to 0.685 in 2023. The country now shares the same HDI score as Bangladesh, though differences remain in specific metrics. For instance, India’s life expectancy increased from 67.7 years to 72 years, while expected years of schooling rose to 13 years and average years of schooling reached 6.9. Additionally, the country’s per capita Gross National Income (GNI) jumped to $9,047 (PPP 2021), up from $6,951.
Despite these gains, India continues to fall under the “medium human development” category. When adjusted for inequality, India’s HDI drops significantly to 0.475, revealing a 30.66% decline due to disparities in access to health, education, and income.
Gender disparities also remain a key concern. India ranks 102nd on the Gender Inequality Index (GII), with a score of 0.403. The Gender Development Index (GDI) is 0.874, showing a notable gap between men (0.722) and women (0.631) in overall development.
In comparison with neighbouring and BRICS nations, India continues to lag. Sri Lanka ranks much higher at 89th place with an HDI score of 0.776, while other BRICS nations — Brazil (89), Russia (59), China (75), and South Africa (110) — also outperform India in terms of overall human development. India’s GNI per capita rank is seven positions lower than its HDI rank, indicating that income remains a relative weakness compared to gains in health and education.
Globally, the HDI report notes a slowdown in development progress — the weakest pace since 1990, excluding the pandemic years. The divide between high- and low-HDI countries has widened for the fourth year in a row, threatening the timeline for achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
The report also underscores the transformative but double-edged role of artificial intelligence (AI) in human development. While India boasts the world’s highest self-reported AI skill prevalence and plans to establish a shared computing facility to support AI innovation and startups, infrastructure gaps and talent migration may risk furthering inequality.
India is already applying AI in areas such as real-time agricultural support, subsidy access in local languages, and insurance for farmers. The global survey in the report reveals that while half of respondents fear job automation, about 60% believe AI will create new opportunities. In lower-HDI countries, 70% expect productivity gains from AI, with two-thirds aiming to implement it in fields like healthcare, education, and employment in the near future.
UNDP officials emphasized the need for inclusive growth and international cooperation to prevent inequality from widening. “As Artificial Intelligence continues its rapid advance across so many aspects of our lives, we should consider its potential for development,” said UNDP administrator Achim Steiner. “While AI is no panacea, the choices we make now could reignite human development and open new pathways and possibilities.”
Sources By Agencies
