India Achieves 99th Rank in Global Sustainable Development Goals, Enters Top 100

24 June, 2025

India has significantly improved its global standing in sustainable development, breaking into the top 100 of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) rankings for the first time. Securing the 99th position among 167 nations in the 2025 report, up from 109th in 2024, highlights India's progress on various UN-mandated development parameters.

Unpacked:

What factors contributed to India's jump from 109th to 99th in the SDG rankings?

India improved its ranking by making progress on several UN Sustainable Development Goals, especially in areas like poverty reduction, health, clean energy, and infrastructure. Policy initiatives and targeted programs have helped improve performance across multiple indicators, contributing to the significant rise in global rankings.

How does India's SDG ranking compare to other major countries?

In 2025, India ranks 99th with a score of 67. By comparison, China is 49th with 74.4 points, and the United States is 44th with 75.2 points. European countries generally top the index, while East and South Asian countries, including India, are among the fastest risers.

What challenges does India still face in achieving the SDGs by 2030?

Despite progress, India faces challenges in areas like quality education, gender equality, environmental sustainability, and reducing inequalities. Resource constraints, population size, and regional disparities continue to hinder faster progress toward meeting all 17 SDGs by 2030.

Why is global progress on the SDGs said to have stalled despite India's improvement?

While India and some Asian countries have shown rapid progress, global advancement on SDGs has stalled due to conflicts, economic downturns, and financial limitations. Many countries are off-track to meet the 2030 targets, and overall momentum has slowed, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic.