MUMBAI: India has emerged as the world’s seventh most indebted nation, carrying a national debt of $3 trillion, according to a new report by the World Population Review, an American research organization.
The findings reveal that the scale of India’s debt translates to an average burden of $504 per citizen, meaning even newborns enter the world already owing a share of the country’s liabilities.
The report underscores that New Delhi now spends billions of dollars each year on servicing its debt, while millions of citizens still struggle to access basic amenities such as clean water, healthcare, and education.
In contrast, Pakistan ranked 33rd with a total debt of $260.8 billion, placing an average obligation of $543 per person. Bangladesh, with a national debt of $177.6 billion, has a per capita debt load of $611.
At the top of the global list stands the United States, whose $32.9 trillion debt mountain translates into nearly $76,000 per American. It is followed by China ($15 trillion), Japan ($10.9 trillion), the United Kingdom and France (each $3.4 trillion), Italy ($3.1 trillion), India ($3 trillion), Germany ($2.8 trillion), Canada ($2.3 trillion), and Brazil ($1.8 trillion).
At the other end of the spectrum, Afghanistan carries the smallest national debt among major countries—just $1.6 billion, meaning every Afghan owes around $30. However, when measured per capita, Ireland tops the world with an extraordinary $614,000 debt per citizen.
Within the Muslim world, Indonesia holds the highest national debt at $543 billion, followed by Egypt ($377 billion), Turkey ($330 billion), Saudi Arabia ($280 billion), and Malaysia ($278 billion).
The report paints a stark picture of global indebtedness, suggesting that despite robust economic growth in some regions, mounting public debt continues to challenge fiscal sustainability worldwide.
