A new report has raised serious questions about the distribution of wealth in the country. According to the Center for Financial Accountability, 1,688 wealthy individuals in India possess wealth equivalent to 50% of the country’s GDP.
India Wealth Inequality Report 2026: A new report has raised serious questions about the distribution of wealth in the country. According to the Centre for Financial Accountability, just 1,688 wealthy individuals in India possess wealth worth approximately ₹166 lakh crore, which represents nearly 50 percent of the total GDP. Find out what this report says.
What does the report say?
This monetary inequality in the country has been highlighted. The report points out that the current situation is somewhat reminiscent of the inequality of colonial times. It also offers suggestions to address this situation.
A significant gap has been revealed in the ‘Wealth Tracker India 2026’ report, released by the Centre for Financial Accountability in conjunction with the ‘Tax the Top’ campaign on April 1, 2026, regarding the distribution of wealth in the country.
The report shows that the wealth of the upper class increased rapidly between 2019 and 2025. However, there was no significant change in the share of the lower class.
Understand the complete mathematics from the data.
Statistically, the top 1 percent of the country’s population owns over 40 percent of the wealth, while the bottom 50 percent rely on just 15 percent of the total income.
During this period, the number of people with assets worth more than ₹1,000 crore (approximately $1.2 trillion) increased by 77 percent, while their total wealth increased from ₹31 lakh crore (approximately $3.1 trillion) to ₹88 lakh crore (approximately $8.8 trillion), representing a 227 percent increase.
Rich getting richer
The wealth of India’s richest families has seen a sharp rise in the past few years. The net worth of big names like Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani, Savitri Jindal, Sunil Mittal, and Shiv Nadar has increased by nearly 400 percent between 2019 and 2025.
According to the data, Mukesh Ambani’s wealth increased by approximately 153 percent during this period, while Gautam Adani’s wealth increased by 625 percent. The combined wealth of these five families was approximately ₹6.68 lakh crore in 2019, which is projected to increase to approximately ₹26.54 lakh crore by 2025.
Tax on the rich can increase the government’s income.
The report states that implementing a progressive wealth tax on the very wealthy could significantly increase government revenue. According to the Center for Financial Accountability, a tax ranging from 2 to 6 percent, along with a one-third inheritance tax, could raise approximately ₹10.63 lakh crore annually if the 1,688 wealthiest families were taxed.
This money can be used for social programs, which will help reach poor families more effectively than before, thereby reducing inequality between the two classes.
This article was originally published in MSN and you can read here.
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