The Open for Business City Ratings 2025 places Indian cities under a global lens. The reflection is revealing. While the ratings give us hope, the reality is far from open.
In a previous article, we addressed how India’s LGBTQIA+ community, nearly 10% of the population, holds the potential to contribute over $200 billion in business value. Yet, despite this economic promise, LGBTQIA+ entrepreneurship or queer-led startups in India remain limited in number. A major factor holding back this growth is how unsafe and unsupportive Indian cities are for LGBTQIA+ individuals.
While the overall pace of change remains slow, some encouraging progress is happening.
Indian cities receive ‘C’ ratings in global LGBTQ+ study
The Open for Business City Ratings 2025 looks at how cities worldwide perform on LGBTQ+ inclusion and economic strength. It ranks 149 global cities based on 27 indicators, using data from reliable sources such as Oxford Economics. These indicators cover areas like legal protection, social attitudes, human capital, and innovation.
In this global assessment, five Indian cities, Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad, earned a “C” rating. This means they are “partially open for business.” While this is not a top-tier ranking and indicates only moderate inclusion, they still place these cities ahead of many others in the Asia-Pacific region, where progress has been even slower.
The report pointed out that alongside state-led measures, some Indian private companies are ensuring corporate inclusion. Firms like Tata Steel and Mahindra have introduced hiring programmes specifically aimed at LGBTQIA+ employees. They’ve also set up employee resource groups, offering internal support and inclusive work cultures.
State-level and judicial initiatives bringing change
The report highlighted that even as national policies remain “sluggish” in promoting LGBTQ+ rights, state-level actions have played a key role in pushing inclusion forward. Some state governments and courts have taken meaningful steps. The Madras High Court’s 2025 ruling clearly stated that “homosexuality is not a disorder,” while Tamil Nadu’s 2022 directive took a stand against police harassment of LGBTQIA+ individuals. These decisions contribute to safer environments and improved public discourse.
In another landmark move, the Supreme Court ordered separate restrooms for transgender individuals within court premises. The rollout of the Education Equality Index in 2024 also marked progress, encouraging schools and colleges to create inclusive environments for LGBTQIA+ students.
Why inclusive cities matter for India’s future workforce
India is expected to face a shortage of skilled workers by 2030. To address this, the report highlights the importance of creating inclusive urban environments where everyone, including the LGBTQ+ community, feels welcome and valued.
‘“Inclusive cities attract talent and boost innovation,” says The Open for Business City Ratings 2025. The findings suggest that cities with high levels of LGBTQ+ inclusion perform significantly better in several key areas. These cities score four times higher on human capital performance and 2.5 times higher on entrepreneurship compared to their less inclusive counterparts.
What else do the city rankings say about other Asian cities?
In Asia, Bangkok stood out with a “B” rating, supported by Thailand’s 2025 legalisation of same-sex marriage and a growing LGBTQ+ business ecosystem. The city has made notable progress in LGBTQ+ rights, creating a more welcoming environment for the community.
Similarly, Singapore improved to an “A” rating after the repeal of Section 377a, which previously criminalised same-sex relations. However, concerns about workplace discrimination and insufficient legal protections still remain.
In contrast, Manila, Jakarta, and Colombo received lower ratings, being labelled “not open for business.” These cities continue to face significant legal and societal barriers that prevent LGBTQ+ inclusion. Discrimination and a lack of supportive policies limit opportunities and acceptance for the LGBTQ+ community in these cities.
While some Asian cities are making progress in LGBTQ+ inclusion, others still have a long way to go.
The final thoughts
India’s LGBTQIA+ inclusion is still a long journey in progress. The “C” rating doesn’t indicate failure, but it points to limited access, protection, and opportunities for LGBTQIA+ people in public, professional, and civic spaces. Even though there are signs of progress, India’s LGBTQIA+ community will still face challenges unless the national government updates laws and policies to support and protect them fully.
Right now, some improvements are happening at the state and corporate levels, but they are not consistent across the country. Until inclusive practices become the norm everywhere, especially in public services, education, workplaces, and legal systems, we’ll stay “partially open for business” and never quite make it completely open.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are based on the writer’s insights, supported by data and resources available both online and offline, as applicable. Changeincontent.com is committed to promoting inclusivity across all forms of content. We broadly define inclusivity as media, policies, law, and history, encompassing all elements that influence the lives of women and marginalised individuals. Our goal is to promote understanding and advocate for comprehensive inclusivity.
