World Happiness Report

According to the World Happiness Report 2026, India ranks 116th out of 147 countries. Finland has remained the happiest country in the world for the ninth consecutive year. This year, India’s ranking shows a slight improvement compared to 118th in 2025. The report is released in March and is based on factors such as GDP per capita and social support.

Key Highlights of World Happiness Report 2026

• India’s Position: India ranks 116th, slightly improving from 118th last year.
• Neighbouring Countries: Pakistan (109th), Nepal (92nd), and several other neighbours rank above India in happiness.
• Top 5 Happiest Countries: Finland, Iceland, Denmark, Costa Rica, Sweden
• Least Happy Countries: Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, Malawi, Zimbabwe

Key Parameters of the Report

The report is based on six major factors:

1. GDP per capita – Economic prosperity
2. Social support – Availability of help in times of need
3. Healthy life expectancy – Quality of life
4. Freedom to make life choices
5. Generosity
6. Perceptions of corruption

Methodology and Publication

• Published by the University of Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre in partnership with Gallup and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
• People are asked to rate their lives on a scale of 0 to 10:
  • 0 = Worst possible life
  • 10 = Best possible life
• Rankings are based on responses from about 100,000 people across around 140 countries/territories.

According to the U.N.-backed report, excessive social media use is negatively affecting the well-being of young people in many countries.

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RELIEF Scheme

Recently, the Government of India approved the RELIEF (Resilience & Logistics Intervention for Export Facilitation) Scheme to support exporters facing maritime disruptions in West Asia.

• The scheme aims to support Indian exporters affected by disruptions in the Gulf and wider West Asian maritime corridor.
• It addresses issues such as:
  • Sharp increase in freight costs
  • Rise in insurance premiums
  • War-related export risks
• It is a time-bound and targeted intervention launched under the Export Promotion Mission (EPM).

Key Features of RELIEF Scheme

1. Enhanced Risk Coverage (Past Shipments)
   • For shipments between 14 February and 15 March 2026
   • Exporters with insurance cover from Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECGC) will receive up to 100% risk coverage for additional conflict-related losses.
2. Support for Prospective Exports
   • For shipments between 16 March and 15 June 2026
   • Government provides up to 95% risk coverage to maintain exporter confidence.
3. MSME Reimbursement
   • For uninsured MSME exporters
   • Up to 50% reimbursement (maximum ₹50 lakh per exporter) for extraordinary freight and insurance costs.
4. Regional Scope
   • Applicable to consignments destined for or transshipped through:
     • United Arab Emirates
     • Saudi Arabia
     • Kuwait
     • Israel
     • Qatar
     • Oman
     • Bahrain
     • Iraq
     • Iran
     • Yemen
5. Operational Reliefs
   • Waiver of storage and dwell time charges at ports
   • Procedural relaxations for stranded cargo
   • Coordinated by the Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG)
6. Real-time Monitoring
   • Export Credit Guarantee Corporation will track claims and fund utilization through a dashboard system
   • Periodic review by the EPM Steering Committee

Implementation

• The scheme will be implemented by Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECGC Ltd.).

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