India’s wealth and luxury landscape is expanding at an unprecedented pace. In a landmark collaboration, Mercedes-Benz and Hurun India have unveiled three key publications — the Mercedes-Benz Hurun India Wealth Report 2025, the Mercedes-Benz Hurun India Luxury Consumer Survey 2025, and the first-ever Mercedes-Benz Hurun India Index (MBHX) — offering a comprehensive view of India’s millionaire boom, wealth creation patterns, and the evolving lifestyle aspirations of the country’s affluent class.
A Nation of Rising Millionaires
According to the report, India is now home to 8,71,700 millionaire households (net worth ≥ ₹8.5 crore / US$1 million), up from 4,58,000 in 2021 — a staggering 90% rise in just four years. Millionaire families now account for 0.31% of all households in the country, compared to 0.17% four years ago. This rapid growth reflects India’s GDP expansion, stock market strength, luxury car sales, and the steady rise of new billionaires.
The newly created Mercedes-Benz Hurun India Index (MBHX) further validates this momentum, showing a near-200% surge in recent years, mirroring the resilience of India’s economic and wealth creation story.
Regional Wealth Hubs
The distribution of millionaire households highlights India’s economic power centers. Maharashtra leads with 1,78,600 millionaire households, followed by Delhi (79,800). Southern states Tamil Nadu (72,600) and Karnataka (68,800), alongside Gujarat (68,300), complete the top five. Together, these regions form the backbone of India’s rising affluent class, supported by thriving financial services, manufacturing, and technology-driven entrepreneurship.
The New-Gen Rich
India added nearly 80,000 new millionaire households in just one year, marking a 10% growth over 2024. Compared to 2017, when India had 1,59,900 millionaire households, the growth trajectory is remarkable — a 445% increase over less than a decade.
But beyond the numbers lies a cultural shift. The report notes that India is evolving from a society of wealth accumulation to one of wealth expression and experience. With higher disposable incomes, affluent families are driving consumption in luxury, travel, and lifestyle, while also reshaping philanthropy and global perceptions of India’s prosperity.
The Luxury Consumer Survey 2025 provides further insights:
- Over 60% of the wealthy rate themselves 8+ on a 10-point happiness scale.
- Travel (45%) tops the list of hobbies, followed by reading and cooking.
- Yoga (27%) is the most preferred fitness activity.
- Social media (36%) has overtaken traditional media as the leading source of news among the wealthy.
Voices from the Launch
Santosh Iyer, MD & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, highlighted how the findings align with the brand’s positioning:
“India’s growth story underscores the resilience and transformation of the economy, driven by a burgeoning domestic market and soaring aspirations of today’s young generation. Mercedes-Benz, with strong roots in India, remains a symbol of social prestige, financial affluence and unmatched desirability. The Mercedes-Benz Hurun India Index reflects the pulse of India’s wealth creation and luxury consumption patterns, representing the sentiment of India’s affluents. We remain optimistic about India’s resilience and social progress, and our strategic patience defines our long-term positive market outlook.”
Anas Rahman Junaid, Founder & Chief Researcher, Hurun India, emphasized the significance of the MBHX:
“Our inaugural Mercedes-Benz Hurun India Index (MBHX) truly captures the spirit of India’s economic rise. Its near-200% surge shows that India’s wealth creation is both real and resilient, rising in tandem with broader progress. In less than a decade, US$1Mn+ households have grown by 445%, reflecting the democratisation of prosperity, even as the climb to UHNI and billionaire levels remains steep.”
“Luxury in India today is not just indulgence — it’s aspiration, confidence, and global relevance.” – Anas Rahman Junaid, Founder & Chief Researcher, Hurun India
“India today counts 8.7 lakh millionaire households — modest compared to China or the US, but this gap is our runway. We expect the number to nearly double in the next decade, driven by our young demographic, entrepreneurial spirit, and technology. Luxury in India is no longer indulgence alone — it has become a marker of aspiration, confidence, and global relevance.”
Together, these insights reveal a powerful transformation: India is no longer just producing wealth — it is actively shaping how affluence is lived, expressed, and projected to the world. With Mercedes-Benz and Hurun India joining forces, the 2025 Wealth Report and Luxury Consumer Survey serve as both a mirror of India’s economic resilience and a roadmap for the evolving lifestyles of its most influential wealth creators.
