Skip to main content

Growth of Indian millionaire population down from 26% to 1.1%, reports top multinational consultants Capgemini

By Rajiv Shah
In a significant report, the latest "World Wealth Report" (WWR) 2016 has revealed that the rate of growth of the high net worth individuals (HNWIs) of India has grown by just 1.1 per cent, from 198,000 to 200,000, as against 26.3 per cent, as reported in the "Asia-Pacific Wealth Report 2015".
An earlier report, “World Wealth Report 2014”, shows that while in 2012 there were 151,000 NHWIs in India, which went up by a mere two per cent in 2013 to reach 153,000. NHWIs are defined as those having investable assets of US$ 1 million or more, excluding primary residence, collectives, consumables, and consumer durables.
An annual exercise undertaken by well-known multinational consultants Capgemini with offices in 40 countries, the "Asia-Pacific Wealth Report 2015" had said pointed towards how, "following marginal growth in 2013, India recorded the latest gains -- for the region and globally -- in NHWI population (26.3 per cent) and wealth (28.2 per cent).”
High net worth individuals (in thousand)
Calling the global HNW Insights Survey as the "most thorough and expansive of its kind, with over 5,200 responses from thousands of HNWIs across 23 countries", the consultants say, it reveals that the HNWIs currently hold "less than one-third of their financial wealth with wealth managers."
The WWR 2016 points to how "strong NHWI growth in Netherlands (7.5 per cent) caused it to move ahead one place to the 11th ranking, switching places with India, which had growth of only 1.1 per cent."
Noting a major rise among India’s NHWIs in 2014, the Associated Press had, in a report titled, "Want to be a millionaire? Move to India", had said in June 2015 that India had registered "the biggest percentage gain among major countries", with the "total number of Indian millionaires — 198,000 — fast closing in on Italy", which had "219,000 millionaires last year."
Despite a sharp fall in the growth of number of NHWIs in India, the report claims that China and India remains the “biggest areas of HNWI wealth expansion through 2025”, insisting, “Asia-Pacific's expected growth momentum would help catapult HNWI wealth globally to new heights. Markets are expected to drive NHWI wealth growth through 2025 -- 27.5 per cent China, US 21.8 per cent and India 13.4 per cent, UK 10.5 per cent.”
“Growth oriented investors dominate in most markets, but are especially prevalent in Asia-Pacific (excluding Japan)”, the report states, adding, “In the this region, 68 per cent of NHWIs in India, 63 per cent in China and 61 per cent in Indonesia define themselves as growth investors.”
High net worth individuals (in thousand)
At the same time, the report says, “Although we were correct in forecasting that Asia-pacific would overtake North America as the world's largest HNWI wealth centre, it took longer than we anticipated. Our prediction, made in 2009 World Wealth Report of the shift occurring in 2013 was off by two years.”
It added, “A slowdown in key Asia-Pacific economies, including China and India, tempered HNWI wealth growth, delaying the region's move to the top spot until 2015. The final unexpected trend of the last 20 years has been the persistently high levels of cash held by HNWIs.”
The report further notes, “Despite overall strong stock market performance around the globe, HNWIs have continued to hold almost a quarter of their financial wealth in cash, an allocation they perceive as necessary to fund their lifestyles as well as to protect against market volatility. Given these conditions, HNWIs appear unlikely to change the nature of their cash allocations over the next decade.”

Comments

TRENDING

Telangana government urged to stop 'unconstitutional' relocation of Chenchu tribes

By A Representative   The Nallamalla forests are witnessing a renewed surge of indigenous resistance as the Chenchu adivasis, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), have formally launched the Chenchu Solidarity Forum (CSF) on the eve of World Earth Day to combat what they describe as unlawful and forced relocation from the Amrabad Tiger Reserve. 

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

​ By Syed Ali Mujtaba*  ​The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Kolkata dialogue flags policy and finance deficit in wetland sustainability

By A Representative   Wetlands were the focus of India–Germany climate talks in Kolkata, where experts from government, business, and civil society stressed both their ecological importance and the urgent need for stronger conservation frameworks. 

Cracks in Gujarat model? Surat’s exodus reveals precarity behind prosperity claims

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*   The return of migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, particularly from Gujarat, was inevitable. Gujarat has long been showcased as the epitome of “infrastructure” and the business-friendly Modi model. Yet, when governments become business-friendly, they require the poor to serve them—while keeping them precarious, unable to stabilize, demand fair wages, or assert their rights. The agenda is clear: workers must remain grateful for whatever crumbs the Seth ji offers.  

Dhandhuka violence: Gujarat minority group seeks judicial action, cites targeted arson

By A Representative   The Minority Coordination Committee (MCC) Gujarat has written to the Director General of Police seeking judicial action in connection with recent violence in Dhandhuka town of Ahmedabad district, alleging targeted attacks on properties belonging to members of the Muslim community following a fatal altercation between two bike riders on April 18.

'Fraudulent': Ex-civil servants urge President to halt Odisha tribal land dispossession

By A Representative   A collective of 81 retired civil servants from the Constitutional Conduct Group has written to the President of India expressing alarm over what they describe as the wrongful dispossession of tribal lands in Odisha’s Rayagada district. The letter, dated April 19, 2026, highlights violent clashes in Kantamal village where police personnel reportedly injured over 70 tribal residents attempting to protect their community rights. 

Maoist activity in India: Weakening structures, 'shifts' in leadership, strategy and ideology

By Harsh Thakor*  Recent statements by government representatives have suggested that Maoism in India has been effectively eliminated, citing the weakening of central leadership and intensified security operations. These claims follow sustained counterinsurgency efforts across key regions, including central and eastern India. However, available information from security agencies and independent observers indicates that while the organizational structure of the CPI (Maoist) has been significantly disrupted, elements of the movement remain active. Reports acknowledge the continued presence of cadres in certain forested regions such as Bastar and parts of Dandakaranya, alongside smaller, decentralized units adapting their operational strategies.

Why link women’s reservation to delimitation? The unspoken political calculus

By Vikas Meshram*  April 16, 2026, is likely to be recorded as a special day in the history of Indian democracy. In a three-day special session of Parliament, the central government is set to introduce a comprehensive package of three historic bills: the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026; the Delimitation Bill, 2026; and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The stated purpose of all three is the same: to implement the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (106th Constitutional Amendment) passed in 2023. However, the political intent concealed behind these measures — and their impact on the federal balance — is far more profound. It is absolutely essential to understand this.

From Manesar to Noida: Workers take to streets for bread, media looks away

By Sunil Kumar*   Across several states in India, a workers’ movement is gathering momentum. This is not a movement born of luxury or ambition, nor a demand for power-sharing within the state. At its core lies a stark and basic plea: the right to survive with dignity—adequate food, and wages sufficient to afford it.