The poorest 10% of people in some of the world’s wealthiest countries have higher daily income or consumption thresholds than India’s richest 10%, according to data from the World Bank’s 2026 Poverty and Inequality Platform.
According to Indian media outlet NDTV, the figures highlight a significant gap in living standards between India and developed economies.
In India, the daily income or consumption threshold for the poorest 10% stands at around $3 per person, compared to $25 in the United States, $31 in Canada, and $28 in Germany and Australia.
Meanwhile, a daily income or consumption level of approximately $10 places a person among India’s richest 10%. The corresponding threshold for the richest 10% is $173 in the United States, $129 in Canada and Australia, and $128 in Germany.
India’s Economic Survey also indicates that a person earning around Rs. 80,000 per month falls among the country’s top 10% of earners.
Ahona Duttagupta, a program associate at the Foundation for Economic Development, said the figures show that India’s economic challenge goes beyond poverty and income inequality, as income levels remain relatively low across the population.
She explained that while spending around $10 a day can place someone among India’s richest 10%, the same amount can leave a person among the poorest 10% in countries such as Canada, Japan, and the United States.
Duttagupta said improving the living standards of poorer Indians alone would not be enough to make the country prosperous, as even wealthier Indian households remain far behind those in developed economies.
She stressed the need to increase productivity and incomes across the economy through better-paying jobs, higher wages, and improved business opportunities.
According to Duttagupta, achieving this requires encouraging innovation, allowing businesses to experiment with new ideas, and making it easier for successful companies to expand.
She also called for simpler business procedures, predictable taxation, and fewer unnecessary regulatory requirements.
India has already taken steps to ease compliance requirements and decriminalize certain minor offenses. However, further reforms, including faster contract enforcement, regular regulatory reviews, and the development of industrial clusters, are needed to help businesses grow and compete internationally.
Duttagupta emphasized that long-term prosperity depends on raising income levels across the entire population rather than focusing solely on reducing the gap between rich and poor.
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