This process is aided by governance structures that perpetuate inequitable access to human advancement. The Human Development Report (HDR) makes a telling example of humankind’s ability to develop a Covid vaccine in less than a year – and then limiting its spread to among the rich nations of the world.
The confluence of war, pandemic and global warming could lead to a global food crisis, it warns, and suggests negotiating uncertainties requires investment in sustainable development, greater social protection and accelerated technological innovation.
The development tailspin is captured by the fact that about a third of countries ranking high in the Human Development Index (HDI) registered declines in 2021, almost half the number of countries that scored lower. India dropped down a notch to the 132nd spot due to a decline in life expectancy.
But it has drawn praise from UNDP for piloting efforts to guarantee a minimum income, and it is bridging the gender gap faster than the rest of the world, although at a cost to the environment. It has also made a serious dent in poverty eradication.
Chipping away at persistent blights to development places India in the middle of a list of nations in its immediate neighbourhood. However, its economic performance has been one of the highlights of the post-pandemic world, while debt distress builds up among its neighbours, affecting their ability to fund their development agenda.
India has negotiated the Covid crisis by contributing to the development and spread of vaccines. But it may find its climate commitments harder to achieve on account of the energy shock. It has also had a fairly successful run with technology dispersal, which is on display in its vibrant startup ecosystem.