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India in the World Inequality Report 2026

Income, wealth and gender in India, using only the figures the World Inequality Lab publishes for the country.

Dr. Pavani Devi Ganapathiraju

Lecturer in Economics, ASD Government Degree College for Women(A), Kakinada

October 12, 2026

Inequality in India is among the highest in the world

The report's verdict: it has shown little movement in recent years, and average income is low.

~58%of national income goes to the top 10% of earners. The bottom 50% receive 15%.
65%of total wealth is held by the richest 10%, and about 40% by the top 1%.
38.0 → 38.2Income gap between the top 10% and bottom 50%, 2014 to 2024. It barely moved.
15.7%Female labor income share, unchanged between 2014 and 2024.
Average person in India
€518average monthly income (PPP)
€6,224average annual income (PPP)
€28,141average wealth (PPP)
1.46 billionpopulation in the country sheet

India scores 4 out of 20 on the Inequality Transparency Index, which rates how openly countries publish income and wealth data. No country has reached full transparency.

Income vs wealth

Wealth is more concentrated than income. Flip the switch, then tap a group.

15%
27.3%
57.7%
Bottom 50% Middle 40% Top 10%
Average per person, by group
€940average income, 15% of the total
€1,801average wealth, 6.4% of the total

The top 1% is part of the top 10%. Figures are in PPP euros per person.

The top 1%

How much more does the top hold than the bottom half? The multiples below are our arithmetic on the report's country-sheet table.

150×

The average income of the top 1% (€140,649) is about 150 times that of the bottom 50% (€940). For the top 10% the multiple is about 38. The report itself lists the top 10% to bottom 50% income gap as 38.2 in 2024.

Share of total personal wealth held by the top 1%
India
40.1%
United Kingdom
21.3%
Indonesia
19.9%

The wealth map shows India among the darkest-shaded countries, where the top 10% typically control well over 60% of household wealth. In India, the top 1% also take 22.6% of national income.

Gender

Women's share of labor income in India is 15.7%, the same in 2014 and 2024.

Female share of labor income
India (2024)
15.7%
Middle East & N. Africa
16%
South & SE Asia
20%
World
28.2%
Europe
40%
N. America & Oceania
40%

India is the 2024 country-sheet figure. Regions and the world are 2025 figures, so treat the comparison as a guide.

Global context from the report

Women worldwide work 53 hours a week including domestic and care work, against 43 for men, yet earn 61% of men's hourly income, falling to 32% once unpaid work is counted.

India vs Indonesia

Both country sheets use the same format. Pick a measure.

India
€518
Indonesia
€750

India €518 and Indonesia €750 (PPP).

The bigger picture

Tap a topic for what the report says.

Test yourself

Source: World Inequality Report 2026, Chancel, Gómez-Carrera, Moshrif, Piketty et al., World Inequality Lab. India country sheet (p. 173), plus India references in chapters 1 to 3, 7 and 8. Income is measured after pensions and unemployment benefits and before income tax.

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