World Happiness Report 2025: Global Well-being Trends and India’s Socio-Economic Implications
- GS Paper 2: International Reports and Indices, Human Development
- GS Paper 3: Sustainable Growth, Economic Development Indicators
- Essay: Themes on happiness, development, well-being, and governance
- Prelims: Index origin, parameters, and India’s rank
Introduction
The World Happiness Report (WHR), first published in 2012 by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, aims to assess well-being beyond traditional economic metrics like GDP. It uses data primarily from the Gallup World Poll to rank countries based on citizens’ self-reported happiness. The 2025 report continues to emphasize happiness as a vital development indicator in global discourse, proving crucial for understanding social progress, governance, and economic health.
Methodology
The WHR 2025 uses six key parameters to measure national happiness and well-being:
- GDP per capita: Economic output per person.
- Social support: Perceived availability of help from friends or family.
- Healthy life expectancy: Longevity adjusted for health quality.
- Freedom to make life choices: Degree of personal autonomy.
- Generosity: Willingness to donate or help others.
- Perception of corruption: Trust in government and public institutions.
Each factor is weighted based on regression analysis, controlling for cultural differences, to form composite happiness scores enabling cross-country comparisons.
Key Highlights of World Happiness Report 2025
- Top 10 Happiest Countries: Nordic countries dominate, with Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, and the Netherlands leading. Costa Rica enters top 10.
- Regional Trends: Western countries show modest declines; some Eastern and Central European countries show improvements.
- Post-Pandemic Insights: Resilience, mental health investments, and governance transparency correlate strongly with national happiness.
- Global South Focus: Reflects uneven regional progress, with many African and Asian countries facing challenges despite improvements in some literacy and health indicators.
India’s Performance
India ranked 118th out of 147 countries in 2025, improving from 126th in 2024. Factors influencing this position include:
- Inequality and poverty continue to affect broad-based happiness.
- Healthcare access improving through Ayushman Bharat and public health initiatives.
- Environmental challenges impact quality of life.
- Strong community and family bonds are a positive, underlying well-being.
- Government programs like the National Mental Health Programme, Jal Jeevan Mission, and Mission LiFE contribute to improved perceptions.
Compared to South Asian neighbors, India is ranked behind Nepal (92nd) and Pakistan (109th), but ahead of Sri Lanka (133rd), Bangladesh (134th), and Myanmar (126th).
Global and Diplomatic Relevance
The WHR reflects growing recognition of happiness and well-being as integral to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Good governance, human development, and happiness interplay strongly, with the Nordic welfare model exemplifying success through equality, transparency, and social safety nets. International cooperation in sharing best practices and supporting developmental goals underpins efforts to enhance citizen well-being globally.
Criticism of the Report
- The subjective nature of self-reported happiness raises questions over scientific objectivity.
- Cultural biases can influence perceptions and survey outcomes.
- Over-reliance on perception surveys may underrepresent structural issues.
- Ongoing debate if happiness should be a primary indicator or a complement to economic metrics like GDP.
Way Forward for India
- Emphasize inclusive economic growth reducing disparities.
- Strengthen public health, education, and employment sectors.
- Improve governance accountability to reduce corruption perceptions.
- Promote mental health awareness and community-driven well-being initiatives.
Conclusion
Happiness is both an outcome of social policies and a goal reflective of good governance. India’s rising rank evidences progress, but much remains to be done to translate economic growth into genuine well-being. As many affirm, “The pursuit of happiness is the pursuit of good governance.” India’s path forward entails holistic development ensuring dignity, equity, and happiness for all.
Top 10 vs India (WHR 2025)
| Rank | Country | Happiness Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finland | 7.736 |
| 2 | Denmark | 7.521 |
| 3 | Iceland | 7.515 |
| 4 | Sweden | 7.345 |
| 5 | Netherlands | 7.306 |
| 6 | Norway | 7.219 |
| 7 | Switzerland | 7.191 |
| 8 | Luxembourg | 7.080 |
| 9 | New Zealand | 7.006 |
| 10 | Australia | 6.903 |
| … | … | … |
| 118 | India | 4.389 |
FAQs
Q1. What is the significance of the World Happiness Report?
It provides a multidimensional view of development that emphasizes subjective well-being and social factors beyond mere economic output.
Q2. How does GDP per capita relate to happiness in the report?
Higher GDP per capita generally contributes to well-being but is outweighed by social support, freedom, and mental health elements.
Q3. Why is India’s rank relatively low despite economic growth?
Challenges like inequality, health access, environmental concerns, and perceived corruption affect overall happiness despite GDP growth.
Q4. How do international relations connect with happiness indices?
Good governance and global cooperation on SDGs help improve well-being; countries with transparent governance tend to rank higher in happiness.
