Happiness is essential for overall well-being, improving both mental and physical health. On the occasion of the International Day of Happiness, the United Nations released the World Happiness Report 2025, ranking India 118th among 147 countries. This marks an improvement from its 126th position in 2024. However, India still ranks lower than several conflict-affected nations, including Ukraine, Mozambique, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Palestine, and Venezuela.
Finland Leads Again; India’s Happiness Score Rises
Finland retained its position as the world’s happiest country for the eighth consecutive year. The rankings are based on residents’ self-evaluations of their quality of life, incorporating factors such as social support, income, and personal freedoms. The report highlights that sharing meals, having strong social connections, and household size play crucial roles in happiness. Interestingly, belief in others’ kindness is now recognized as a strong predictor of happiness, exemplified by the expectation that lost wallets will be returned.
The report also highlighted a worrying trend—19% of young adults worldwide reported having no social support in 2023, a 39% rise since 2006. The researchers averaged life evaluation scores from 2022 to 2024 to rank countries. India’s score improved to 4.389 in 2025, reflecting progress in key factors such as GDP per capita, social support, and freedom to make life choices. However, perceptions of corruption and lack of generosity negatively impact India’s ranking.
India’s Happiness Ranking: Age and Regional Comparisons
In 2024, India ranked 126th with a score of 4.054, significantly behind BRICS nations. Outside BRICS, Finland scored 7.741, while the United States had 6.725. Neighbouring countries like Pakistan (108th, 4.657), Nepal (93rd, 5.158), and Myanmar (118th, 4.354) performed better than India in 2024, though Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan ranked lower.
India’s happiness varies by age group. According to the 2024 report, middle-aged Indians (30-44) were the least happy, with their score dropping by 1.124 between 2006-10 and 2021-23. In contrast, young Indians (under 30) were the happiest, scoring 4.281 during the same period.
India’s Benevolence and Social Challenges in Happiness Rankings
On benevolence, India ranked 10th for volunteering but 57th for donations and 74th for helping strangers. In the “wallet test,” India ranked 115th for neighbours, 86th for strangers, and 93rd for police returns. Nordic countries consistently topped the benevolence rankings.
Despite an improvement in social connections among young adults, challenges remain. Factors such as “deaths of despair” (suicide, alcohol, and drug-related deaths) are not adequately recorded in India, making comprehensive well-being assessment difficult. Addressing corruption, social trust, and economic disparity remains crucial for India’s continued progress in global happiness rankings.
Summary:
India ranked 118th in the 2025 World Happiness Report, improving from 126th in 2024 but still lagging behind conflict-affected nations. Finland remained the happiest country. India’s happiness score rose due to better GDP and social support, yet corruption and low generosity hinder progress. Young adults showed improved social connections.
