A Gini for luxury.

"In 2024, India's consumer landscape has been marked by paradoxes," as "According to the latest GDP data, private final consumption expenditure dropped to 6% in the July-September quarter from a seven-quarter high of 7.4% in the previous quarter." "Global luxury brands, such as Panerai, Bulgari and Gucci, are expanding their presence, with many targeting online platforms to overcome the limited availability of luxury real estate," and thus "reaching smaller towns across India." ET. Though India has lifted millions out of dire poverty, inequalities persist. The Gini coefficient measures the rate of inequality, with 0 representing total equality and 1 meaning one individual earning all the income. wikipedia. In 2023, the Gini for income improved to 0.41 because of cash transfers and food subsidies, Gini for expenditure was 0.36 and Gini for wealth was 056, wrote Rajesh Shukla. "Dimensions of inequality are interconnected." "Income inequality directly drives savings inequality," and "Expenditure inequality reflects disparities in access to goods and services, further amplifying income and savings gaps." "Income is the money you receive in exchange for your labor or goods." Investopedia. It could be argued that cash transfers and subsidies cannot be called income because they are unconditional. On the other hand, by paying for essentials, cash transfers and subsidies allow the poor to use their earnings to buy durable assets thereby boosting the economy. The UN Global Multidimensional Poverty Index 2024 says that with 234 million India has the highest number of poor people followed by Pakistan with 93 million and Ethiopia with 86 million. The Reporters' Collective investigation has revealed "a 'whole-of-government approach' devised by the Prime Minister's Office to closely monitor 30 global indices and reach out to agencies that publish the indices to convince them to change their parameters," and to that end "a nodal unit named 'Global Indices for Reform and Growth' (GIRG) has been set up." The Wire. During the 2024 Parliament elections Mr Modi claimed that 250 million people had been lifted out of poverty in the 10 years of his government. "The number had been rigged by his government in a pre-planned manner to spruce up its image." The Wire. Not just poverty, the India State of Forest Report 2023 by the forest Survey of India "has found that the forest and tree cover, combined, has increased by 1,445.81 sq km over the assessment made in the last report of 2021." Also, "except Himachal, all Himalayan and North-Eastern states have lost forest cover considerably." DH. According to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), "over the past three financial years, an average of 90,000 Indians were apprehended while attempting to cross US borders illegally." ET. When Indians are buying luxury online why are these Indians trying to sneak into the US? We need a Gini coefficient for luxury.