The concept of degrowth is not about ‘reducing the growth’ or recession but about giving up the obsession of an economy with growth. It recognises limits to growth and emphasizes building a society based on frugality, sharing, cooperation, conviviality, equality, etc. Even green growth based on improving environmental efficiency is difficult to sustain. In this form, degrowth is as relevant to a developing economy as to a developed economy as the ultimate well being of a society depends on various developmental indicators and not confined to growth per se. Degrowth, thus, needs to identify some measurable indicators of well being or prosperity of a society. This study suggests that, initially, a few quick indicators like income, health, education, equality, environmental quality and lack of corruption may be used to represent well being of a society. Corruption which may have a devastating impact on development of a society does not seem to have yet been mentioned in degrowth literature. The country level information on these indicators is compiled regularly for Human Development Index (HDI), Environmental Performance Index (EPI) and Corruption Perception Index (CPI). However, wherever possible, the well being of a society needs to be assessed on the basis of absolute values rather than relative values of the above sub-indicators.

India, a developing economy, is now one of the fastest growing economies expecting a growth rate of about 7.6 percent during 2015-16. This paper assesses the level of degrowth in India and various regional groups of countries using the above indicators. These indicators may be refined and screened further.

This media entry was a contribution to the special session „How to Measure the Progress of Degrowth Policies“ at the 5th International Degrowth Conference in Budapest in 2016.