India's Social Bonding and Happiness: Why the World Happiness Index Is Incomplete

India's Position in the 2025 World Happiness Index Raises a Stir

India's latest ranking of 118th in the 2025 World Happiness Index has raised questions about measuring global happiness. Despite having strong social bonds, long-standing traditions, and community-oriented values, India has been placed below some conflict zones. Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has attacked this ranking because it does not reflect India's true happiness.

Understanding the India Happiness Index and Its Global Ranking

The World Happiness Report, published by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford in collaboration with Gallup and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, ranks countries based on factors such as:

GDP per capita
Social support
Life expectancy
Freedom to make life choices
Generosity
Corruption perceptions

The 118th ranking of India, lower than countries which have experienced economic and political turbulence, has called into question the methodology of the index. Indian happiness is calibrated differently, say experts, placing emphasis on spiritual and social contentment instead of material riches.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Criticism of the World Happiness Index

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the founder of The Art of Living Foundation, was disillusioned with India's position and stated:

"India has ranked 118, way behind the war zones, and whatever may be the rationale that there is more bonding in war areas, bonding is not enough. But happiness index, I feel India is way, way better."

He cites that India's community culture, strong family values, and acts of philanthropy are what make it one of the world's happiest nations, despite the fact that such components are not visible through current measures of happiness indices.

Why India's Happiness Model is Different from the West

India's happiness model has its basis in:

Spirituality: Yoga, meditation, and mindfulness lead the way in mental wellness. These are being made popular around the world by institutions like The Art of Living Foundation. (Discover more)
Social Bonding: Neighbors and extended relatives support one another in times of crisis, be it in rural villages or city towns.
Cultural Festivals: Festivals like Diwali, Holi, and Eid usher in a feeling of belongingness and together happiness.
Community Support: As opposed to individualistic societies, in India, entire villages come out to help a needy family, sustaining strong social support systems.

These India's contributions to happiness are not easily quantifiable in international rankings.

How India Compares with Other Countries in the Happiness Index

Interestingly, Pakistan was at 109, just ahead of India, with continued human rights concerns in Balochistan. (Read full report)

At the 58th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, Niaz Baloch, BNM Coordinator, indicated serious human rights violations in Pakistan-occupied Balochistan. Yet, Pakistan's ranking in the Happiness Index was still ahead of India's, which brought into question the report's genuineness once again.

Can Economic Growth Increase India's Happiness Index?

India has seen high economic growth, improved infrastructure, healthcare, and education. Economic growth is not happiness alone, though. Also determining happiness are:

Work-life balance
Healthcare and education access
Mental health
Spiritual and community engagement

.also have their say in happiness, which India does very well even though it is not fully reflected in the report.

Is the World Happiness Index Outdated?

People believe that the World Happiness Index uses Western-centric measures, which may not be appropriate for societies where collective good is prioritized over individual achievement. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar called for a comprehensive approach involving:

Social bonding and cohesion of people
Cultural and spiritual health
Traditional and alternative measures of happiness

Conclusion: Is India Happier Than the Index Suggests?

Even though India ranks 118th in the World Happiness Index 2025, its high cultural values, close familial ties, and spiritual heritage suggest that true happiness in India is far higher than suggested.

The debate over how happiness is quantified in the world continues, but one thing is certain: India's happiness cannot be quantified by GDP alone or economic factors—it is firmly rooted in its people, tradition, and way of life.

For a better grasp of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's vision for India's happiness and spiritual strength, watch his speech at the Republic Plenary Summit 2025:

Watch Here