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Inequality
The top 1% income share is the highest in a series that begins in 1922
India's top 1% income share was 22.6% in 2022-23, the latest year published, up from 18.4% in 2004. The World Inequality Lab puts it at the highest level in its series, which begins in 1922, higher than in the inter-war colonial period. The bottom 50% share fell from 18.8% in 2004 to a low of 13.9% in 2017 and was 15.0% in 2022-23.
What follows. Over two decades the top 1% took a larger share of national income. The bottom half lost ground until 2017, gained some of it back by 2020 and has lost part of that again since.
Income share of the top 1%
2004-2013 average 20.4%; 2014-2026 average 21.9%; latest 22.6% in 2022. Source, method and every year.
Income share of the bottom 50%
2004-2013 average 16.8%; 2014-2026 average 14.7%; latest 15.0% in 2022. Source, method and every year.
One of 37 readings of the dataset, rebuilt whenever the data are refreshed. Data vintage 2026-10-10. Cite as Raman, V.S., Some Perspective: India's Political Economy, 2004-2026, someperspective.info, CC BY 4.0.