‘Luxury' in India or basic necessity abroad? Man's bold claim takes Internet by storm
As India climbs the global economic ladder, a growing conversation is emerging about the real meaning of luxury and affordability within the country. A viral video featuring a man in his mid-30s, who has lived both in India and abroad, brought this discussion into the spotlight. In the video, he highlights how several goods and services—ranging from domestic help to food delivery—are far more accessible and affordable in India than in Western nations.
The man, who said he travelled abroad frequently, underlined some "luxuries" Indians allegedly took for granted -delivery of newspapers in the morning, cheap cable TV service, quick delivery apps that provide groceries within 15 minutes, quicker and more prompt medical service, etc.
— sathyashrii (@sathyashrii)
These conveniences, often considered luxuries elsewhere due to high costs, are part of everyday life for many in urban India, largely due to lower labor costs and a generally more affordable cost of living.
Play Video
Pause
Skip Backward
Skip Forward
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
0:00
Loaded
:
0%
0:00
Stream Type
LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
1x
Playback Rate
Chapters
Chapters
Descriptions
descriptions off
, selected
Captions
captions settings
, opens captions settings dialog
captions off
, selected
Audio Track
default
, selected
Picture-in-Picture
Fullscreen
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text
Color
White
Black
Red
Green
Blue
Yellow
Magenta
Cyan
Opacity
Opaque
Semi-Transparent
Text Background
Color
Black
White
Red
Green
Blue
Yellow
Magenta
Cyan
Opacity
Opaque
Semi-Transparent
Transparent
Caption Area Background
Color
Black
White
Red
Green
Blue
Yellow
Magenta
Cyan
Opacity
Transparent
Semi-Transparent
Opaque
Font Size
50%
75%
100%
125%
150%
175%
200%
300%
400%
Text Edge Style
None
Raised
Depressed
Uniform
Drop shadow
Font Family
Proportional Sans-Serif
Monospace Sans-Serif
Proportional Serif
Monospace Serif
Casual
Script
Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values
Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Villa For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You
Villas in Dubai | Search ads
Learn More
Undo
However, the video didn't go unchallenged. Another individual responded by drawing attention to the other side of the coin—the lack of access to basic necessities that should ideally be universal. He pointed out that in many parts of India, essentials such as clean air, safe drinking water, quality food, and well-maintained pedestrian pathways remain out of reach for a significant portion of the population. For them, these necessities still feel like distant luxuries, underscoring the contradictions within the broader narrative of economic progress.
The conversation quickly widened, touching on systemic issues like poorly maintained roads, insufficient public transport, low levels of public safety, and weak government accountability. These are areas where many developed countries have established reliable infrastructure and governance, making such services a standard part of life. In contrast, their absence or limited availability in India contributes to a daily struggle for millions, despite the nation's economic strides.
This debate comes at a pivotal moment. The
NITI Aayog
recently confirmed that India has surpassed Japan to become the world's fourth-largest economy, with a GDP now standing at $4 trillion. The announcement, supported by International Monetary Fund (IMF) data and shared by CEO BVR Subrahmanyam, indicates that India may soon overtake Germany as well.
While this achievement is being celebrated as a landmark in India's development journey, it also serves as a reminder of the challenges that persist beneath the surface. For many, it's not just a moment of national pride but also a call for deeper introspection. The 'State of Inequality in India' report from 2022 revealed that earning just ₹25,000 a month places an individual among the top 10 percent of wage earners, emphasizing the vast income disparities that continue to define the social fabric of the nation.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
29 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
NATO wrestles over how to handle Ukraine at Trump summit
How to have Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky at NATO's Hague summit and avoid a bust-up with US President Donald Trump? What to say on Kyiv's desire to join their alliance? With NATO appearing on track to seal a deal on ramping up defence spending, another thorny issue now threatens to overshadow the gathering in three weeks: what to do about Ukraine? When they met in Washington a year ago, NATO's leaders feted Zelensky, pledged more military hardware and vowed Kyiv was on an "irreversible path" for membership in their alliance. That was before Trump's return to the White House ripped up Washington's support for Ukraine and upended the West's approach to Russia's three-year war. Since he regained the US presidency, Trump had a dramatic Oval Office falling out with Zelensky, opened the door to warmer ties with Moscow and forced both sides to the negotiating table. Kyiv's European backers have pushed to invite Zelensky to the June 24-25 meeting in the Netherlands to show NATO still stands strongly behind Ukraine. But the United States has been reluctant even to have Zelensky there and the reality is Trump has already blown a huge hole in Western backing for Kyiv. The Ukrainian leader said this week he'd received an invite from NATO chief Mark Rutte for Kyiv to be there in some form. "We can confirm that Ukraine will be with us in The Hague," a NATO official told AFP. Diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Zelensky could come for a dinner hosted by the Dutch king for NATO leaders, but that there likely wouldn't be formal talks between Ukraine and the alliance. "It will be a PR disaster if he's not there," a European diplomat said, speaking as others on condition of anonymity. How Zelensky may be received in The Hague looks set to depend heavily on the progress, if any, of fraught talks with Russia over the next few weeks. So far two rounds of meetings between the warring sides in Istanbul have produced few results. Trump appears to be getting increasingly annoyed with Russian President Vladimir Putin for dragging his feet on a ceasefire. But the US leader still hasn't responded with sanctions against Moscow and has equally expressed his displeasure with Zelensky's outspokenness. Rutte has insisted that Ukraine remains a "priority" issue at the summit. Diplomats, however, say that the overwhelming focus is on striking an agreement on spending that satisfies Trump's demands to spend five percent of GDP on defence and keeps the United States on board at NATO. Multiple officials say the alliance looks set to reach a compromise put forward by Rutte of 3.5 percent of GDP on core defence, and 1.5 percent on broader spending such as infrastructure. "Defence spending is the most important part and no one wants to jeopardise that," a second diplomat said. One area where there doesn't seem much uncertainty is that NATO will steer clear of its previous strong statements that Ukraine is on course to join the alliance. Trump has repeatedly poured cold water on Ukraine's ambition to become a member and even blamed Kyiv's bid to join for provoking Russia's war. NATO is aiming to keep a final declaration from the summit short and avoid mention of Ukraine's possible membership to not open up any fissures. "There will be nothing on that," said a third diplomat, at NATO. "My expectation is we will be absolutely silent." There also looks set to be no joint statement on military support from the alliance's 32 countries as Trump has hit the brakes on assistance. In a sign of how far the US has moved, officials said US defence secretary Pete Hegseth won't attend a meeting of NATO backers in Brussels on Wednesday. He will however jet in for a meeting of NATO defence ministers on Thursday. del/ec/giv
Time of India
29 minutes ago
- Time of India
Kamal Haasan's 'Thug Life' falls short of 'Indian 2' premiere day advance bookings in the USA
Kamal Haasan's 'Thug Life,' directed by Mani Ratnam, is set for a strong U.S. debut, earning $454,000 in advance sales. However, it trails Haasan's 'Indian 2,' which has already grossed $580,431, becoming his biggest North American premiere. 'Thug Life' faces controversy in Karnataka, with its release postponed due to Haasan's remarks on Kannada's origin. Kamal Haasan 's much-anticipated gangster drama Thug Life, directed by Mani Ratnam , is poised for a solid debut in the United States, though it has fallen short of matching the premiere day advance booking numbers of Haasan's upcoming film Indian 2. Advance ticket sales for Thug Life's U.S. premiere have reached US $454,000 across 375 locations, covering over 1000 shows and selling more than 17,000 tickets. Industry analysts are projecting that the film's total North American premiere day earnings could go up to US $ 800,000 positioning it as Haasan's second-biggest premiere day opening in the region.. However, when compared to the advance sales of Indian 2, which is set to release last year, Thug Life trails notably. Indian 2 has already clocked $580,431 in advance sales across 484 locations, with 1,457 shows and 27,935 tickets sold for its U.S. premiere. This makes Indian 2 Haasan's biggest premiere day in North America so far — even before its 2 being a sequel to Kamal Haasan's 1996 hit film Indian- the buzz for the film was much more as compared to Thug Life. Thug Life marks a major reunion between Kamal Haasan and legendary director Mani Ratnam after their iconic 1987 collaboration Nayakan. The film features a stellar ensemble cast including Silambarasan TR , Trisha Krishnan , Joju George , and Ali Fazal , with music composed by A.R. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Are you 18-79 with no funeral insurance? Talk to NZ Seniors today NZ Seniors Get Quote Undo Rahman. It's scheduled for a global release on June 5, 2025, and will release in multiple languages including Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and Malayalam. Back home, however, Thug Life has run into controversy. The film's release in Karnataka has been postponed following backlash against Haasan's recent remarks claiming Kannada originated from Tamil. The statement drew sharp criticism from the Kannada-speaking community and the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC), which demanded an apology and threatened to block the film's release in the state. Haasan stood by his comments, refusing to apologize, asserting they were misinterpreted. Following escalating tensions, the decision was made to indefinitely postpone Thug Life's release in Karnataka. The Karnataka High Court also weighed in, advising Haasan to apologize to the Kannada community. Despite the controversy, Thug Life continues to generate substantial international interest. The film's strong U.S. advance bookings reaffirm Kamal Haasan's enduring global appeal, though it now has a new bar to beat with Indian 2 already setting an impressive record ahead of its premiere. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Time of India
37 minutes ago
- Time of India
India services sector growth steady in May as demand remains strong, PMI shows
India 's dominant services sector maintained its robust growth in May, fueled by strong export demand and record hiring, although price pressures intensified, a survey showed on Wednesday. The HSBC India Services Purchasing Managers' Index , compiled by S&P Global, stood at 58.8 in May, marginally up from April's 58.7 but lower than a preliminary reading of 61.2. It has been above the 50-mark separating growth from contraction for nearly four years. Play Video Play Skip Backward Skip Forward Mute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions and subtitles off , selected Audio Track Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Utilice el servicio de élite para la aplicación de la Green Card Green Card Lottery Experts Solicita ahora Undo New business - a key gauge for demand - expanded at a sharp pace in May, largely aligned with growth rates seen from February through April. Companies attributed this sustained momentum to advertising efforts, positive demand trends and repeat business from existing clients. Live Events This healthy demand environment was particularly evident in international markets, with companies reporting one of the strongest increases in export orders in the survey's over a decade history. To accommodate the ongoing expansion, service providers ramped up hiring at the fastest rate since the survey began in 2005, with nearly 16% of respondents increasing staff numbers. That, however, contributed to rising cost pressures. Both input costs and output charges increased at faster rates in May, edging above historical averages. Companies reported higher expenses for cooking oil, materials, meat and overtime payments, leading to the strongest input price inflation since January. Growing price pressures could test monetary policy decisions for the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which has cut the repo rate by 50 basis points this year as inflation remains below its 4.0% target. The RBI is expected to cut rates by another 25 bps to 5.75% on Friday, according to a Reuters poll. Despite cost challenges, business confidence recovered from April's 23-month low, with companies expressing optimism about future growth based on their expanded workforces, larger client bases and ongoing marketing initiatives. Meanwhile, the HSBC India Composite PMI Output Index, which includes both manufacturing and services, eased slightly to 59.3 in May from 59.7 in April but indicated continued strong expansion in private sector activity.
