Inequality in the Gain in Life Expectancy at Birth in India, 1976–2020

The increase in human longevity has been a factor in the increase in world population but the increase in human longevity has not been uniform across countries and within countries and this inequality is increasing, which is a matter of concern as regards sustainable development. Understanding the inequality in the increase in human longevity is important for determining appropriate health policies by providing insights into disparities in population health and mortality. This article highlights the inequality in the gain in life expectancy at birth in India in the period 1976–2020. The difference in gain in life expectancy at birth has been decomposed into gain attributed to improvement in mortality at different ages. The article calls for a decentralised approach to health policy and planning to address the challenge of differential gain in life expectancy at birth across mutually exclusive population groups within the country; and argues that a reduction of inequality in the gain in life expectancy at birth within the country may contribute to accelerating the increase in life expectancy at birth for the country, which remains low by international standards.