World Inequality Report 2026: India and Global Findings
Why in the news
The World Inequality Lab’s World Inequality Report 2026 flags growing gaps in income, wealth, gender and climate responsibility.
Key facts
- Editors: Lucas Chancel, Ricardo Gómez-Carrera, Rowaida Moshrif, Thomas Piketty; 200+ scholars; earlier editions in 2018 and 2022.
India
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Top 10% income share | 58% (57% in 2021) |
| Bottom 50% income share | 15% (13% in 2021) |
| Top 10% wealth share | About 65% |
| Top 1% wealth share | About 40% |
| Average income / wealth per head (PPP) | €6,200 / €28,000 |
| Female labour force participation | 15.7% |
Wealth is more unequal than income. India’s people have slid from the global middle 40% towards the bottom 50%, unlike China.
World
- Top 0.001% (under 60,000 people) hold three times the bottom half’s wealth; share up from about 4% (1995) to over 6%.
- Wealth: top 1% hold 37%, top 10% 75%, bottom 50% 2%.
- Women earn 61% of men’s hourly pay (32% counting unpaid work) and take about 25% of labour income.
- Emissions tied to private capital: bottom 50% 3%, top 10% 77%, top 1% 41%.
Women’s labour income share by region
| Region | Share |
|---|---|
| Europe, North America, Oceania | About 40% |
| East Asia | 34% |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | 28% |
| South and Southeast Asia | 20% |
| Middle East and North Africa | 16% |
Concerns and remedies
- Effective tax rates drop sharply for billionaires, starving education, health and climate spending.
- Remedies: progressive taxation of the ultra-rich; public investment in education, universal healthcare, nutrition and childcare; cash transfers, pensions and welfare.
Exam angle
- Publisher: World Inequality Lab; India’s top 10% income share: 58%.