India making progress towards SDGs, report shows

India is making progress across multiple fronts towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, the latest edition of a United Nations-backed report shows.

The fourth edition of the SDG India Index gives India a score of 71 out of 100, up from 66 in the previous edition, but indicates that efforts are needed in areas such as SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality).

The Index, developed by NITI Aayog, a government think tank, with technical support from the UN in India, uses 113 indicators across 16 SDGs for all states and Union Territories.

This edition highlights improvements in India in areas ranging from poverty elimination, decent work and economic growth to climate action and life on land.

The scores of individual states and Union Territories now range from 57 to 79, an improvement from the 2018 range of 42 to 69. In particular, notable progress has been made in SDG-1 (No Poverty), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 13 (Climate Action), and 15 (Life on Land). SDG-13 saw the highest increase, climbing from 54 in 2020-21 to 67 in 2023-24.

First launched in 2018, the Index promotes competition and collaboration among states, serving as a policy tool to guide further action in India’s sustainable development efforts.

This edition identifies Uttarakhand, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu as the top-performing states, with Bihar, Jharkhand, and Nagaland at the lower end. It also highlighted that Uttar Pradesh has made the fastest progress, increasing its score by 25 points since 2018.

The Index was launched by NITI Aayog Vice Chairperson Suman Bery in the presence of CEO B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, UN Resident Coordinator Shombi Sharp, NITI Aayog Senior Adviser Dr. Yogesh Suri, and UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Isabelle Tschan Harada on 12 July at NITI Aayog in New Delhi.