Is India still considered a third world country? Why?

Asked 12-Oct-2022
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The term 'Third World country' is often used to describe a nation with a low level of economic development, a high level of poverty, and a lack of modern infrastructure. India is often considered a Third World country because it meets all three of these criteria. 

There are a number of reasons why India is still considered a third-world country. 

One reason is its large population. With over 1.3 billion people, India is the world's second most populous country. This large population puts strain on the country's resources and infrastructure, which are not as developed as in developed countries.

Another reason why India is still considered a third-world country is its low per capita income. India's per capita income was just $1,470 in 2017, compared to $57,220 in the United States. This low per capita income means that many people in India live in poverty.

Thirdly, India's Infrastructure is still not on par with developed countries. For example, in 2016, only 42% of households in India had access to electricity. This is compared to 99.1% of households in the United States and 97.9% in the United Kingdom.

Fourthly, India's Human Development Index (HDI) is still considered to be low. The HDI is a measure of a country's standard of living, based on factors such as life expectancy, education, and income. In 2017, India's HDI was 0.64, which is considered to be 'medium.' This is compared to 0.92 for the United States and 0.89 for the United Kingdom.

Finally, India's poverty rate is still high. In 2015, 21.9% of the population was living below the poverty line. This is compared to 3.2% in the United States and 4.1% in the United Kingdom.

Is India still considered a third world country? Why?

Despite these challenges, India has made significant progress in recent years. For example, the country's GDP has more than doubled since 2000. Additionally, the number of households with access to electricity has increased from just over 20% in 2001 to over 70% in 2017. The country has also made strides in improving its infrastructure. In 2014, India launched the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, a program to provide all-weather roads to villages. As of 2019, the program had connected over 80% of eligible villages to all-weather roads. 

India is still considered a third-world country because it faces many challenges that developed countries do not. However, the country is making progress and is slowly becoming more developed.