New Delhi, Apr 24 (PTI) India's major urban centres have made moderate yet promising progress in LGBTQ+ inclusion, according to the Open for Business City Ratings 2025, which benchmarks 149 cities globally based on LGBTQ+ inclusion and economic competitiveness.

Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad have all earned a "C" rating, categorising them as "partially open for business".

The rating places them ahead of many other cities in the Asia-Pacific region, even as national policies remain "sluggish" in advancing LGBTQ+ rights.

The report highlighted that India's strides have been largely propelled by several proactive state-level initiatives and private sector leadership.

Landmark judicial decisions -- such as the Supreme Court's mandate for separate restrooms for transgender individuals in courts and the Madras High Court's 2025 ruling stating "homosexuality is not a disorder" -- have set the tone for greater inclusion, the report pointed out.

Other notable steps include Tamil Nadu's 2022 directive curbing police harassment of LGBTQ+ individuals and the Education Equality Index launched in 2024.

In the corporate space, the report said that companies such as Tata Steel and Mahindra have rolled out dedicated hiring programmes and employee resource groups for LGBTQ+ staff.

A Deloitte survey cited in the report found that Indian workplaces outperformed global averages in terms of LGBTQ+ employees' comfort in disclosing their identities.

Despite this progress, national-level actions have lagged behind. The Supreme Court's 2023 ruling against legalising same-sex marriages was a setback, the report said as it underlined that broader legal recognition and protection remain areas of concern.

"Inclusive cities attract talent and boost innovation," the report said, noting that cities with high LGBTQ+ inclusiveness scored four times better on human capital performance and 2.5 times higher on entrepreneurship. With India set to face a skilled labour shortage by 2030, fostering inclusive urban environments is described as a strategic economic necessity, according to the report.

India's case underscores a recurring theme across the report: cities can lead the way on inclusion even when national governments move slowly.

"While challenges persist, these advancements foster optimism for a more inclusive future," said Srini Ramaswamy, co-founder, Pride Circle, Rainbow Bazaar and Fameworks Entertainment, one of the contributors to the report.

The report highlights how inclusive urban policy is not only a moral imperative but also a smart economic move.

The City Ratings 2025 draws on 27 metrics sourced from internationally recognised data partners, including Oxford Economics, to evaluate cities across two key dimensions -- economic competitiveness and LGBTQ+ inclusion.

The report combined indicators on innovation, human capital, legal protection, and social attitudes to assess how open a city truly is for business.

In Asia, Bangkok emerged as a regional leader with a "B" rating, buoyed by Thailand's 2025 legalisation on same-sex marriage and a vibrant LGBTQ+ business ecosystem.

Singapore's rating improved to "A" following the repeal of Section 377A, although concerns remain about workplace discrimination and limited legal protection.

Conversely, cities like Manila, Jakarta and Colombo were ranked as "not open for business", reflecting low inclusiveness scores and persistent legal and societal barriers for LGBTQ+ communities. PTI UZM ARI