Despite India’s fast GDP growth, income inequality is increasing rapidly.

According to the World Inequality Report 2026, 58% of the country’s national income is held by the top 10% of the rich, while the bottom 50% of the population gets only 15%. Wealth inequality is even starker—the top 10% own 65% of wealth and the top 1% own 40%. Despite the average annual per capita income being ₹6.56 lakh, a large share of it is in the hands of a limited number of people. Even globally, the top 10% own 75% of the wealth, but India has become the second most unequal country after South Africa.

This video explains the causes, comparisons and effects of these disparities.