Integration of LGBTI in India: Analyzing the Ripple of Economic Development Kanika Chawla, Nilavathy K. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 2025 Introduction This study analyzed the relationship between the social inclusion of LGBTI people and economic development. In this study, we have observed HDI and GDP per capita (PPP) in association with the LGBT + Rights and Inclusion Index for India from 1990 to 2022. The index accounts for microeconomic effects, whereas the controls account for the overall impact on the macroeconomic level. Methods We employ an OLS and robust least squares approach, in conjunction with the author’s developed “Inclusion Index” dataset, to examine the integration of LGBTI individuals into the Indian economy. Results India’s Inclusion Index scores 0.51 out of 1. Further, our study finds that an additional point on the LGBT + Rights scale of legal rights is associated with an increase in GDP per capita (PPP) of approximately $668 and a 0.035 increase in HDI value. Additionally, integrating the LGBTI community into the health, education, personal safety, and violence aspects of the Inclusion Index increases the GDP per capita (PPP) by about 0.608%, according to the approximation. Conclusions Combining the in-depth, subjective information on the actual experiences of LGBTI individuals with the broader statistical modeling leads to a compatible outcome—there exists an apparent relationship between LGBTI inclusiveness and the development of the economy. Policy Implications. By promoting LGBTI inclusivity on the microeconomic spectrum, specifically through the Inclusion Index’s dimensions, we can foster wholesome inclusivity that aligns with the macroeconomic spectrum, particularly the variables examined in the study.
Trans-Literacy in India: A Drive to LGBTI Economic Integration Kanika Chawla, Nilavathy K. Sexuality Gender and Policy, 2025 Literacy is a highly effective instrument for elevating the LGBTI community out of poverty. This study analyzed the relationship between the academic inclusion of LGBTI people and economic development. LGBTI academic inclusion in India has grown exponentially since 2009 and has combated a significant socioeconomic expansion in the gig economy. The developmental prospect has been trifold, signifying post‐materialist, capabilities approach, and human capital as theoretical foundations. The inclusion of LGBTI people in the Indian education system with respect to legal entitlements granted to the community has been highlighted in the study. We employ an OLS and robust least squares approach, in conjunction with the education dimension of the author's developed inclusion index dataset, to examine the integration of LGBTI individuals into the Indian economy. The study finds that an additional point on the academic inclusivity is associated with an increase in GDP per capita (PPP) of approximately $3.859 and a 1.450 rise in the HDI. Additionally, integrating the LGBTI community into the academic aspects of the inclusion index increases the GDP per capita (PPP) by about 6.59%, according to the approximation. The research shows that including the LGBTI community in measures like mean years of schooling, government expenditure on education, school enrolment, and literacy rate is linked to a significant increase in GDP per capita (PPP). The synchronous expansion in LGBTI academic inclusion, GDP per capita, and HDI over time vividly point to a positive reciprocation between LGBTI inclusivity and India's economic development. Initiatives for financial assistance, gender diverse trainings, LGBTI inclusion supportive curriculums, and so on are proposed by the author to embark upon the wholesome academic inclusion of community and strengthen the overall LGBTI academic inclusivity in the economy.
Integrating LGBTI Inclusivity and Innovative Capacity in India: Analyzing the Effects of Globalization Kanika CHAWLA, Nilavathy KUTTY Theoretical and Practical Research in the Economic Fields, 2024 Globalization can have enormous effects if LGBTI people are well blended into the pool of resources and tapped efficiently. This research investigates LGBTI inclusivity and the effects of globalization on economic development since the 2009 legalization verdict favoring homosexuality. The theoretical prospects are trifold: trade liberalization and labor market de-regulation; Becker’s theory of discrimination; and Heckscher-Ohlin-Samuelson postulate, along with a diagrammatic representation showcasing the impact of LGBTI inclusivity in the labor market. An OLS approach in conjunction to the ECI_Trade and ECI_Technology has been employed to examine the integration of LGBTI individuals into the Indian economy considering capital stock, domestic credit, employment, population and human capital as default controls to the model and year dummies have been incorporated at a later stage of modelling to highlight the precision level. The study found that LGBTI inclusivity is positively correlated with India's ECI_Trade and ECI_Technology value, increasing it approximately by 6.3% and 15.4%. Further, a number of robustness checks show that even after accounting for macroeconomic variables as default controls, the positive association continues to persist. The LGBTI inclusivity increases the ECI_Trade value by 13.2% and ECI_Technology value by 24.4%, respectively. Consequently, the authors emphasized on the economic ramifications of inclusivity in relation to wage gaps, discrimination, and the development of human capital and have tried to exemplify the integration of LGBTI individuals in EPZs, trade and technological advancement, and skill development to justify the default conceptualized postulates in support of inclusivity.
RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Trans-health in India: An Approach to LGBTI Well-Being K Chawla, K Nilavathy International Review of Economics 73 (1), 4 , 2026 2026
Integration of LGBTI in India: Analyzing the ripple of economic development K Chawla, N K Sexuality Research and Social Policy 22 (3), 1586-1613 , 2025 2025 Citations: 4
Trans‐Literacy in India: A Drive to LGBTI Economic Integration K Chawla, N K Sexuality, Gender & Policy 8 (2), e70000 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Integrating LGBTI inclusivity and innovative capacity in India: Analyzing the effects of globalization K Chawla, N Kutty Theoretical and Practical Research in Economic Fields 15 (3), 620-635 , 2024 2024 Citations: 2
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Integration of LGBTI in India: Analyzing the ripple of economic development K Chawla, N K Sexuality Research and Social Policy 22 (3), 1586-1613 , 2025 2025 Citations: 4
Integrating LGBTI inclusivity and innovative capacity in India: Analyzing the effects of globalization K Chawla, N Kutty Theoretical and Practical Research in Economic Fields 15 (3), 620-635 , 2024 2024 Citations: 2
Trans‐Literacy in India: A Drive to LGBTI Economic Integration K Chawla, N K Sexuality, Gender & Policy 8 (2), e70000 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Trans-health in India: An Approach to LGBTI Well-Being K Chawla, K Nilavathy International Review of Economics 73 (1), 4 , 2026 2026
