As the world becomes ever more connected and competitive, rankings of countries gain heightened significance — for investors, citizens, policymakers and global observers alike. At Vizzve Finance, we evaluate such rankings to help our readers understand where nations stand on metrics such as economy, power, quality of life and innovation. In this article, we focus on India, exploring how it lands in the list of the “best countries in the world” — what the data show, where India is doing well and where it needs improvement.
India’s Global Standing: Key Metrics
Economic Size and Growth
India is one of the largest economies in the world. According to International Monetary Fund (IMF) data cited by ClearTax, India is ranked 4th in nominal GDP for 2025, with a nominal GDP of around USD 4 trillion
In purchasing-power parity (PPP) terms, India also figures among the top global economies
This economic size underlies India’s increasing global importance — a factor that Vizzve Finance keeps in view when assessing opportunities for investment and growth.
Global Power and Influence
While economic size is strong, rankings of power and influence show a slightly different picture. According to reports, India was ranked 12th among the world’s most powerful countries in 2025.
This indicates that although India’s economy is among the largest, other dimensions — such as military capability, strategic alliances, global reach — still have room for growth.
“Best Countries” Rankings (Perception + Attributes)
Rankings that aim to identify the “best countries in the world” typically combine many attributes: quality of life, cultural influence, entrepreneurship, power, social purpose, citizens’ opportunities, etc.
While India may not yet rank at the very top in those lists, it is gaining visibility and making strides — particularly in economic attributes, demographic potential and innovation.
Social and Quality-of-Life Metrics
Beyond economy and power, there are important metrics of social wellbeing. For example, India ranked 126th in the 2024 Global Happiness ranking.
In the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) 2024, India figures among the lowest-ranked countries.
These data show that while India is rising in some global metrics, significant challenges remain in social development, environment and quality of life.
Where India Excels
Large domestic market: India’s vast population offers scale for business, innovation and consumption — a competitive advantage.
Rapid economic growth: The GDP growth rate and upward economic mobility mark India as one of the fastest-growing major economies.
Growing global footprint: In sectors such as technology, services, and scientific research (e.g., increasing publications) India is emerging strongly.
Demographic dividend: With a young population and rising skills, India has potential advantage going forward.
Where India Needs Improvement
Quality of life and social metrics: Low rankings in happiness, environmental performance and some social indices signal gaps.
Per-capita income and inequality: Despite large economy, per-capita metrics are comparatively low.
Global power/influence: While improving, India still has to build more on strategic influence, defence capabilities and diplomatic reach.
Environment and sustainability: Low ranking on EPI suggests urgent need for stronger environmental policy and implementation.
FAQ
Q1. What ranking list is used to determine “best countries in the world”?
A1. One widely referenced list is the U.S. News & World Report “Best Countries” ranking, which uses 73 attributes across categories like quality of life, power, entrepreneurship, social purpose
Other indices focus on specific domains (economy, happiness, environment) and may yield different rankings for “best”.
Q2. Where does India rank among the best countries?
A2. While India is not in the very top positions of “best countries” lists that combine all attributes, it ranks very high in economic size (4th globally in nominal GDP) and is improving in global power rankings (12th in 2025). At the same time, India has lower rankings in some wellbeing and environment indices.
Q3. Does a high GDP ranking mean India is among the “best countries” automatically?
A3. Not necessarily. While GDP size is an important indicator of economic strength, “best country” rankings weigh many factors including personal wellbeing, governance, environment, cultural influence, and innovation. So a high GDP is a strong positive but not the only factor.
Q4. What are the implications for businesses and investors?
A4. For businesses and investors, India’s strong economic growth and scale present opportunities. However, the remaining structural challenges mean risk management, long-term vision and selective investment are key. For content creators (e.g., on Vizzve Finance), leveraging India’s rising global ranking story can generate SEO traction.
Q5. How can this information help me when I publish on Vizzve Finance?
A5. By writing about India in its global ranking context, using targeted keywords, internal links, structured FAQs, and sharing on social platforms, you can improve indexing speed and visibility. Also include meta tags and alt-text (as suggested) to meet SEO best practices.
Published on : 6TH November
Published by : SARANYA
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