Palma ratio (before tax) in India
India: Palma ratio (before tax) was 6.54 in 2022. ▲ Rising
Palma ratio (before tax) in India, 1923–2022
Source: World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
India recorded 6.54 for palma ratio (before tax) in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.2% on the previous year and up 5.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, palma ratio (before tax) in India peaked at 7.2 in 2017 and was at its lowest, 2.14, in 1982.
India ranks 23rd of 113 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 75 years of available data.
Palma ratio (before tax) in India, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1923 | 4.67 | — |
| 1924 | 4.5 | -3.7% |
| 1925 | 4.43 | -1.4% |
| 1926 | 4.3 | -2.9% |
| 1927 | 4.22 | -1.9% |
| 1928 | 4.14 | -1.9% |
| 1929 | 4.01 | -3.1% |
| 1930 | 3.98 | -0.8% |
| 1931 | 4.01 | +0.8% |
| 1932 | 3.98 | -0.8% |
| 1933 | 4.04 | +1.4% |
| 1934 | 4.02 | -0.5% |
| 1935 | 3.99 | -0.7% |
| 1936 | 3.97 | -0.5% |
| 1937 | 3.95 | -0.4% |
| 1938 | 3.99 | +0.9% |
| 1939 | 3.97 | -0.5% |
| 1940 | 3.96 | -0.3% |
| 1941 | 3.74 | -5.5% |
| 1944 | 3.21 | -14.1% |
| 1945 | 3.08 | -4.0% |
| 1948 | 2.62 | -15.1% |
| 1949 | 2.44 | -6.7% |
| 1950 | 2.36 | -3.4% |
| 1954 | 3.15 | +33.6% |
| 1955 | 3.37 | +7.1% |
| 1956 | 3.43 | +1.8% |
| 1957 | 3.2 | -6.7% |
| 1958 | 3.28 | +2.5% |
| 1959 | 3.17 | -3.3% |
| 1960 | 2.96 | -6.8% |
| 1961 | 2.98 | +0.7% |
| 1962 | 2.87 | -3.7% |
| 1965 | 2.67 | -6.9% |
| 1966 | 2.75 | +3.0% |
| 1967 | 2.71 | -1.5% |
| 1968 | 2.62 | -3.5% |
| 1971 | 2.55 | -2.7% |
| 1974 | 2.52 | -1.0% |
| 1975 | 2.54 | +0.6% |
| 1976 | 2.56 | +1.1% |
| 1977 | 2.54 | -0.8% |
| 1978 | 2.49 | -2.0% |
| 1979 | 2.34 | -6.0% |
| 1980 | 2.27 | -3.0% |
| 1981 | 2.2 | -3.2% |
| 1982 | 2.14 | -2.8% |
| 1983 | 2.72 | +27.4% |
| 1984 | 2.51 | -7.9% |
| 1985 | 2.68 | +6.7% |
| 1986 | 2.71 | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 2.65 | -2.4% |
| 1988 | 2.76 | +4.2% |
| 1989 | 2.76 | +0.1% |
| 1990 | 2.54 | -8.3% |
| 1991 | 2.6 | +2.6% |
| 1992 | 2.71 | +4.2% |
| 1993 | 2.91 | +7.3% |
| 1994 | 3.1 | +6.6% |
| 1995 | 3.1 | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 3.05 | -1.6% |
| 1997 | 3.14 | +3.2% |
| 1998 | 3.21 | +2.0% |
| 2005 | 4.21 | +31.1% |
| 2012 | 6.2 | +47.6% |
| 2013 | 6.26 | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 6.48 | +3.6% |
| 2015 | 6.63 | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 7.03 | +5.9% |
| 2017 | 7.2 | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 6.82 | -5.2% |
| 2019 | 6.65 | -2.5% |
| 2020 | 6.23 | -6.4% |
| 2021 | 6.28 | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 6.54 | +4.2% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 6.54 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5.17, 1.3× the median. (24 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Palma ratio (before tax) in India changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | +47.6% | 4.21 | 6.2 |
| 1954 | +33.6% | 2.36 | 3.15 |
| 2005 | +31.1% | 3.21 | 4.21 |
| 1983 | +27.4% | 2.14 | 2.72 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 4.33 | 4.01 | 4.67 | 7 |
| 1930s | 3.99 | 3.95 | 4.04 | 10 |
| 1940s | 3.17 | 2.44 | 3.96 | 6 |
| 1950s | 3.14 | 2.36 | 3.43 | 7 |
| 1960s | 2.79 | 2.62 | 2.98 | 7 |
| 1970s | 2.51 | 2.34 | 2.56 | 7 |
| 1980s | 2.54 | 2.14 | 2.76 | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.93 | 2.54 | 3.21 | 9 |
| 2000s | 4.21 | 4.21 | 4.21 | 1 |
| 2010s | 6.66 | 6.2 | 7.2 | 8 |
| 2020s | 6.35 | 6.23 | 6.54 | 3 |
Countries ranked near India
More reference data data for India
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 20.88 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 68.88 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 246.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 15.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 246.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 70.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 19.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 309.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,063 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 85.03 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is palma ratio (before tax) in India?
- Palma ratio (before tax) in India was 6.54 in 2022, according to World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest palma ratio (before tax) recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 7.2 in 2017.
- What is the lowest palma ratio (before tax) recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.14 in 1982.
- How does India rank for palma ratio (before tax)?
- India ranks 23rd out of 113 countries with data for 2022.
- Is palma ratio (before tax) rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Palma ratio (before tax). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The Palma ratio is a measure of inequality that divides the share received by the richest 10% by the share of the poorest 40%. Higher values indicate higher inequality. Inequality is measured here in terms of income before taxes and benefits.