Has India Achieved a Milestone in the UN’s SDG 2025 Index?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- India has ranked 99th in the 2025 SDG Index.
- Significant progress from 116th in 2017 to 99th in 2025.
- Countries in East and South Asia are leading in SDG advancements.
- Only 17% of global SDG targets are on track for 2030.
- Investments in education and green technologies are critical for future success.
New Delhi, June 24 (NationPress) India has made remarkable strides in fulfilling the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and has, for the first time, secured a position among the top 100 achievers in the SDG rankings this year, as stated in a recent UN report.
With a score of 67, India now holds the 99th position on the 2025 SDG Index, as revealed by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network's (SDSN) 10th and latest Sustainable Development Report (SDR).
Having been at the 116th position in 2017, India has shown considerable improvement, moving up to 109th in 2024.
The report indicated that while European nations continue to dominate the SDG Index, countries from East and South Asia have outperformed other regions in SDG advancements this year.
Countries such as Nepal, Cambodia, the Philippines, Bangladesh, and Mongolia have exhibited the most rapid progress since 2015 (in points).
This year's SDG Index also marks China's entry into the top 50 performers.
“In the face of escalating geopolitical tensions, increasing global inequalities, and the deepening climate crisis, this year's SDR emphasizes that the global community overwhelmingly acknowledges the Sustainable Development Goals as a crucial pathway to peace, equity, and well-being,” stated Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs, President of the SDSN.
“While many nations are making notable advancements, there is still much more to be achieved through increased investments in education, green technologies, and digital innovations. Above all, we require peace and global cooperation to realize the SDGs,” Sachs, who also served as the lead author of the report, added.
The SDGs were established in 2015 with the vision that by 2030, no one should be left behind in the global development framework.
The report revealed that on a global scale, progress on the SDGs has stagnated, with none of the 17 goals on track for achievement.
“Conflicts, systemic vulnerabilities, and restricted fiscal spaces continue to obstruct progress, particularly in emerging and developing economies,” the report noted, indicating that only 17 percent of SDG targets are currently on track to be met by 2030.