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India retains 131st rank in Global Gender Gap Index 2026 by World Economic Forum

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The World Economic Forum released the Global Gender Gap Index 2026 on September 16, 2026. India maintained its 131st position out of 145 countries with an overall gender parity score of 64.5%, below the global average of 69.2%. India's strongest area was Educational Attainment with 96.6% parity, while Economic Participation and Opportunity remained the weakest at 41.2%. Political Empowerment showed a 24.5% gender gap closure with India ranked 67th globally in this subindex. Iceland topped the index for the 17th consecutive year with 93% gap closure. The report estimates global full gender parity would take 120 years at current progress rates. This index is crucial for understanding India's status in global gender equality and is often used in competitive exams.

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Key Facts

  • India ranked 131st among 145 countries in the 2026 Global Gender Gap Index.
  • Overall gender parity score for India: 64.5%, below the global average of 69.2%.
  • India's strongest dimension: Educational Attainment (96.6%).
  • Weakest dimension: Economic Participation and Opportunity (41.2%).
  • Political Empowerment score: 24.5% gap closed; 67th position globally.
  • Iceland topped the index with 93% gender gap closed, leading for 17 consecutive years.
  • Full global gender parity estimated to take 120 years at the current pace.

Background & Context

Published annually by the World Economic Forum, the Global Gender Gap Index measures gender parity across four dimensions: Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, and Political Empowerment. The 2026 edition marks the 20th anniversary of this benchmark. It evaluates the distribution of resources and opportunities between genders to assess the progress towards equality worldwide.

Why This Matters for Exams

Competitive exams frequently focus on India's global rankings and social progress indicators. Understanding the Global Gender Gap Index and India's specific standing highlights ongoing challenges and achievements in gender equality, which is relevant to topics on social justice, international rankings, and government policies.

Points to Remember

  • India's 131st rank with a 64.5% gap closed in 2026.
  • Strongest area: Education (96.6%), weakest: Economic Participation (41.2%).
  • Political Empowerment subindex ranked 67th with 24.5% parity.
  • Index is published by World Economic Forum every year since 2006.
  • Iceland leads ranking for 17 years.
  • Global gender parity overall at 69.2%, but full parity projected only after 120 years at current pace.

Practice MCQs

Question 1

  1. World Economic Forum
  2. United Nations
  3. International Labour Organization
  4. UNICEF

Answer: World Economic Forum

Question 2

  1. 129th
  2. 131st
  3. 135th
  4. 140th

Answer: 131st

Question 3

  1. 96.6%
  2. 41.2%
  3. 24.5%
  4. 64.5%

Answer: 96.6%

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