The latest World Happiness Report has once again highlighted the stark contrast in happiness levels across South Asia. India, ranking 116th, trails behind its neighbouring country Pakistan, which sits at 104, and even war-affected nations such as Iran (97th). Other neighbours fared differently, with Bangladesh at 127, Sri Lanka at 134, Afghanistan at 147, and Nepal at 134.
The report, published by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford, ranks countries based on a three-year average of self-assessed life evaluations. Respondents rate their lives on a scale from 0 to 10, with the overall happiness score derived from six key indicators: GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and perceptions of corruption.
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Israel ranks 8th with a life evaluation score of 7.187 and an average life expectancy of 70.8 years. In comparison, Pakistan records a score of 4.868, slightly higher than India’s 4.536, while India’s life expectancy is just 58.2 years. India performs poorly on parameters such as inequality (92nd), social support (123rd), and GDP per capita (89th), though it fares better in freedom (61st) and perceptions of corruption (64th).
The report also highlights the negative impact of social media on youth wellbeing. Life evaluations among under-25s in countries like the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand have dropped significantly, largely due to long hours spent scrolling through social platforms. Interestingly, some positive links were found in regions such as the Middle East and Africa, though heavy usage is generally associated with stress and depression.
The World Happiness Report paints a sobering picture for India while showing that even neighbours like Pakistan can rank slightly higher in perceived life satisfaction, underscoring ongoing challenges in social support, economic equality, and quality of life indicators.
