# India retains 131st rank in Global Gender Gap Index 2026-09-16T10:22:37+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 3 independent outlets India retained the 131st rank in the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Index 2026, with a parity score of 64.5 per cent, below the global average of 69.2 per cent. Only 14 countries ranked below India on the index of 145 nations. Iceland, Finland and Norway held the top three spots, while Chad, Iran and Pakistan were at the bottom. India's score improved slightly over the last year, and its parity has risen 4.3 percentage points since 2006, driven mainly by educational attainment. However, economic participation and opportunity remained weak at 41.2 per cent parity, and political empowerment, once India's strongest subindex, saw a decline in the head-of-state indicator since 2021. The WEF said full global parity is still 120 years away. ## Indian Opinion Analysis All three sources reported the same facts from the WEF data, with no variation in ranking, scores or attribution. The coverage is uniform straight reporting: each outlet led with the unchanged rank and the global context, then listed subindex figures without adding interpretation or blame. The consistent framing suggests no outlet sought to spin the outcome. The key number to watch is India's declining head-of-state indicator, which fell from 72.3 per cent to 40.7 per cent since 2021, as the rolling 50-year reference period drops earlier years of female leadership. ## Coverage - hindustantimes.com (neutral report) Straight reporting of WEF data with no evaluative language - economictimes.indiatimes.com (neutral report) Factual recitation of index results without slant - telanganatoday.com (neutral report) Direct replication of WEF findings with no commentary Tags: Global Gender Gap Index, India, World Economic Forum Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/india-stays-131st-on-global-gender-parity-index-iceland-leads/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/india-stays-131st-on-global-gender-parity-index-iceland-leads/#story-in-brief