India’s Wealth Gap Crisis Deepens as Top 1% Hold 40% of National Riches

A Nobel laureate sounds the alarm on India’s exploding inequality. Without bold action, the gap between rich and poor could destabilize democracy itself.

, and ASMedia

2025 November 6 . 7:14 AM

1 min read

In this picture we can see some people are standing, on the left side there is a rickshaw and a... — In this picture we can see some people are standing, on the left side there is a rickshaw and a tree, at the right bottom there is a traffic cone, we can see a banner in the middle, in the background there are buildings, we can see the sky at the top of the picture.

India’s Wealth Gap Crisis Deepens as Top 1% Hold 40% of National Riches

Alarmingly, global inequality has hit critical levels, warns Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz. In India, the middle class is grappling with inflation and stagnant incomes, while wealth disparities soar. The top 1% own a staggering 40.1% of India's wealth, leaving the bottom 50% with a mere 6.4%. The situation is dire, with India's richest seeing their wealth surge by 62% since 2000, outpacing China's 54% growth. This economic inequality threatens social and political stability, potentially undermining democratic processes. To counter this, India needs a strong, united political will to assert itself globally. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi works to bolster India's international presence, concrete efforts to tackle inequality are lacking. No single politician is identified as leading a united movement specifically focused on this issue. India's inequality crisis demands urgent attention. With wealth disparity threatening stability, a united political front is crucial to address this emergency and secure India's place on the world stage.