Life Is Getting Harder for India’s Middle Class as Costs Rise and Jobs Shrink
India’s middle class is getting economically squeezed as automation is destroying jobs, wages have stagnated and the cost of living has outpaced incomes, according to an analysis by the BBC. The class that pays the state’s taxes and drives its consumption is borrowing to cover basic expenses, putting the foundations of the post-1991 growth model under pressure.
What Proposed FCRA Amendment Means for Democracy, NGOs and Millions Who Depend on Them
The central government has proposed changes to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, which regulates how non-profit organisations receive foreign funding for work in health, education, nutrition and other welfare sectors. The amendment would give the government greater power to halt funding and also take control of assets, including property, created with that money, potentially reducing humanitarian, rights-based and climate-related advocacy work in the country.
Ordinary Indians, More Than Business Elites, Sustain India’s Generosity
A new study estimates that India’s household giving totals about 540 billion (54,000 crore) rupees a year across cash, in-kind support and volunteering, with about 68% of surveyed households reporting some form of giving. Read alongside evidence of highly concentrated corporate and wealthy donor philanthropy, the findings indicate that India’s culture of generosity is sustained in large measure by widespread participation among ordinary households.
Economic Survey: Despite Growth, Most Indians Live With Job Insecurity
The Economic Survey 2025-26, released on January 29, presents an economy that appears strong in headline numbers, yet several of its findings raise concern for everyday life, with direct effects on households through jobs, incomes, prices, security and access to public support.
Government’s Low Healthcare Spending Leads to Structural Injustice, Study Shows
A new study, which analysed healthcare spending in India from 1991 to 2023, has shown that when the government spends less on healthcare, families are forced to cover more of their medical costs on their own, often pushing them into debt or leading them to delay or skip treatment. This means every funding decision by the government directly affects whether healthcare becomes more accessible or turns into a financial burden for the majority of the citizens.
India Adds Millionaires Amid Shrinking Wealth and Deepening Inequality, Report Says
India now has 917,000 US dollar millionaires, with 39,000 added in just one year, according to the UBS Global Wealth Report 2025. This rise in high-net-worth individuals has occurred alongside a fall in average adult wealth, marking a sharp divide between visible gains at the top and economic stagnation across the broader population.
For Most Indians, One Veg and One Non-Veg Meal a Day Is Out of Reach
A recent independent study reveals a disconnect between official poverty estimates and the everyday reality of food access for much of the population. The researchers used government data and constructed what they call a “Thali Index,” which suggests that more than half of India’s population cannot afford to eat even one vegetarian and one non-vegetarian meal a day.
Delayed Census Denies Food Security to 120 Million Indians
The delay in population Census has left over 120 million people without access to subsidised foodgrain under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). The shortfall, attributed to outdated beneficiary data from the 2011 Census, is pushing millions towards food insecurity, despite the government continuing to operate one of the world’s largest food distribution programmes.