India’s retirement readiness has seen steady improvement, with the India Retirement Index Study (IRIS) 5.0 by Axis Max Life Insurance revealing a rise in the national index score from 44 to 48 over four years. Conducted in partnership with Kantar, the study highlights increasing awareness and early financial planning among urban Indians, with half believing that retirement planning should begin as soon as one starts earning.
The report shows growing health awareness and fitness habits, as 81% of respondents engage in regular physical activity and 50% now own health insurance. However, financial sufficiency remains low, with 63% saying their savings would last less than 10 years post-retirement. Women and gig workers demonstrated higher preparedness, while the East Zone led the nation in overall readiness.
In Guwahati, financial advisors noted that young professionals are showing a shift toward disciplined saving and insurance-based investment. Yet, experts believe more awareness is needed in Assam’s urban centers to bridge the gap between knowledge and actual retirement corpus creation. Axis Max Life MD & CEO Sumit Madan said IRIS 5.0 signals a “clear shift toward smarter and more holistic retirement planning,” urging inclusive advisory support for diverse workforce segments.