Abstract

Kate Raworth's Doughnut Economy model offers a forward-looking lens through which national development can be re-evaluated beyond conventional GDP-centric thinking. This paper examines India's socio-economic and environmental performance through this dual-boundary framework, drawing on secondary data from organisations including the World Bank, UNDP, UNESCO, FAO, and Our World in Data. The central question explored is how effectively India is advancing toward Raworth's notion of a "safe and just space for humanity" - the zone that satisfies essential human needs without transgressing the planet's ecological thresholds. The analysis reveals a distinctive pattern: while India largely operates within its ecological ceiling, it grapples with pronounced social shortfalls in domains such as education, poverty reduction, and healthcare access. The study argues that embedding Doughnut principles into India's commerce and governance architecture offers a credible pathway toward equitable and environmentally responsible development.