New Delhi– India has made a major leap in its pursuit of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), breaking into the top 100 performers for the first time in the global SDG Index, according to the latest UN report.
India now ranks 99th with a score of 67 on the 2025 SDG Index, as per the 10th edition of the Sustainable Development Report (SDR) released by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN). This marks a steady climb from the 116th position in 2017 and 109th place just last year in 2024.
While European countries continue to dominate the top of the index, the report notes that East and South Asian nations — including Nepal, Cambodia, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Mongolia — have shown the fastest improvement in SDG performance since 2015. China has also made its debut among the top 50 performers this year.
“Amid rising geopolitical tensions, widening global inequalities, and the escalating climate crisis, this year’s SDR underscores that the world overwhelmingly recognizes the Sustainable Development Goals as the vital pathway to peace, equity, and well-being,” said Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs, President of the SDSN and lead author of the report.
“Many countries are making significant progress, but much more can be accomplished through stepped-up investments in education, green technologies, and digital solutions,” Sachs added. “Above all, we need peace and global cooperation to achieve the SDGs.”
The SDGs, adopted by UN member states in 2015, aim to eliminate poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all by 2030, based on the principle of “leaving no one behind.”
Despite progress in some regions, the report paints a concerning picture at the global level: none of the 17 SDGs are currently on track, and only 17 percent of specific targets are projected to be achieved by 2030.
The report warns that conflicts, persistent vulnerabilities, and limited fiscal space—particularly in emerging and developing economies—continue to hamper meaningful progress on the SDGs. (Source: IANS)
