Overview

• India’s per-capita income remains far below China and advanced economies at about $2,880 nominal and $12,130 in PPP, highlighting the gap between aggregate growth and individual prosperity.
• Poverty has fallen to 5.3% under the $3/day threshold, literacy stands at 77%, life expectancy has risen to 72 years and maternal mortality has dropped to 103 per 100,000 live births.
• Space and defense capabilities include successful Chandrayaan missions to the Moon’s south pole, the Mars-orbiting Mangalyaan probe and nuclear deterrence cemented by tests in 1974 and 1998.
• The digital revolution is exemplified by UPI processing over 10 billion monthly transactions and Indian-origin executives such as Sundar Pichai and Satya Nadella leading major global corporations.
• Policy experts urge rationalizing Rs 3.71 lakh crore in food and fertilizer subsidies, boosting agricultural R&D and investing in nutrition and human capital to achieve Viksit Bharat by 2047.