WORLD INEQUALITY REPORT 2026

NEWS

• The World Inequality Report 2026 highlights rising income and wealth inequality in India.
• Edited by Lucas Chancel, Ricardo Gómez-Carrera, Rowaida Moshrif, and Thomas Piketty.
• Top 10% of earners capture 58% of national income, bottom 50% get 15%.

HIGHLIGHTS

Key Findings:

• Wealth inequality is sharper: Top 10% hold 65% of wealth, top 1% own 40%.
• India has lost relative ground since 1980: most of the population now falls in the bottom 50% globally.
• Gender pay gap persists: women earn 61% of men’s income per working hour, falling to 32% including unpaid labor.
• Climate impact: top 10% emit 77% of private capital emissions; bottom 50% only 3%.

Global Context:

• Top 10% globally own 75% of wealth, bottom 50% hold 2%.
• Ultra-wealthy escape taxes, depriving states of resources for education, healthcare, and climate action.
• The richest 0.001% own three times more than the bottom half of humanity.

Measuring Inequality:

• Gini Index: India scores 25.5, indicating moderate inequality.
• Index ranges 0–100, where 0 = perfect equality, 100 = maximum inequality.
• Higher values indicate more unequal income distribution.

Policy Implications:

• Rising inequality impacts social cohesion, economic growth, and sustainable development.
• Calls for progressive taxation, wealth redistribution, social spending, and gender-sensitive policies.
• Need for targeted reforms to ensure inclusive growth and reduce disparities.

Conclusion:

• The report emphasizes that inequality is not inevitable; policy interventions can mitigate disparities.
• Addressing inequality is crucial for economic justice, climate action, and human development.