New Delhi, Sep 16: Axis Max Life Insurance Limited today unveiled the findings of the sixth edition of its annual Bharosa Talks India Retirement Index Study, conducted in partnership with Kantar. The study reveals a fundamental shift in how urban India is imagining retirement: Indians increasingly want to retire earlier and are beginning to think about retirement sooner, but the financial journey from aspiration to preparedness remains substantial.
India’s overall retirement preparedness remained resilient this year, with the Bharosa Talks IRIS 6.0 score of 49 in 2026, compared with 48 in 2025 and 44 in 2022. Financial preparedness score improved marginally to 52 from 51, health preparedness score remained unchanged at 46, while emotional preparedness score stood at 57 compared with 58 last year.
The sixth edition of Bharosa Talks IRIS finds that 7 out of 10 urban Indians would like to retire before the traditional retirement age of 58–60 if their financial needs are fully taken care of. Half of those who want to retire, aim to achieve Financial Independence and Retire Early before the age of 50. However, respondents have accumulated only 28% of their target retirement corpus on average, highlighting the distance between retirement ambition and financial readiness for retirement.
Sumit Madan, MD & CEO, Axis Max Life Insurance, said,
“One of the clearest messages from Bharosa Talks IRIS 6.0 is that retirement remains a financial challenge for many Indians. The finding that 82% of Gen X+ respondents expect to continue working for a steady income highlights a critical reality: retirement is not about reaching a certain age, but about having the financial freedom to choose what comes next. True retirement readiness should empower individuals to work because they want to, not because they need to. Encouragingly, younger Indians are beginning their retirement journey much earlier, signalling a welcome shift from reactive planning to proactive preparation. The task ahead is to convert this intent into sustained action across finances, health and emotional wellbeing, because a secure retirement is ultimately about independence, choice and peace of mind.”
Soumya Mohanty, Managing Director & Chief Client Officer, South Asia, Kantar, said,
“ Bharosa Talks IRIS 6.0 shows retirement planning evolving across generations and geographies. Younger Indians are starting the retirement planning process earlier. Health is also becoming an important part of retirement preparation, with 59% claiming to undertake regular or occasional health check-up. Additionally, out of those who regularly take part in physical activities, 44% engage daily. Tier II cities have also strengthened their retirement preparedness, pointing to a broader retirement conversation across urban India.”
KEY FINDINGS FROM INDIA RETIREMENT INDEX STUDY 6.0
Retirement planning gets younger as FIRE gains ground
The retirement conversation is beginning earlier. One in two urban Indians believes retirement planning should start with the first paycheque, while the average age at which respondents believe they should start thinking about retirement savings is 31 years. This falls to 29 years among Gen Z, compared with 31 years among Millennials and 34 years among Gen X+.
This mindset is translating into early action among younger Indians: 62% of Gen Z respondents have already started investing for retirement, compared with 70% of Millennials and 75% of Gen X+
Indians know their ‘retirement number’, but reaching it remains a challenge
While 61% knows the corpus they would require to sustain their current lifestyle during retirement, confidence in its adequacy remains limited. Only 11% believe their retirement corpus will last their lifetime, while 39% believe it will not last even five years.
The perception of what constitutes an adequate corpus is also changing. The proportion believing ₹1 crore or less is sufficient for a comfortable retirement declined seven percentage points, from 77% in 2025 to 70% in 2026. The belief is particularly lower among respondents earning a household income of more than ₹15 lakh annually, at 51%, and among metro residents, at 63%.
The accumulation challenge becomes more pronounced closer to retirement. Respondents have accumulated 28% of their target corpus on average, with Gen X+ at 29%. Among Gen X+ respondents, 91% regret not starting retirement investments earlier.
Healthy ageing emerges as an integral part of retirement preparedness
Health remains central to how Indians think about retirement. 75% expect to remain healthy and fit during their retirement years. Today, 52% claim to have purchased health insurance, and out of those who regularly take part in physical activities, 44% engage daily. Additionally, 21% use wearable devices to track their health.
Retirement preparedness also carries a strong social dimension. 87% expect to live with their children during retirement, reinforcing the continuing importance of India’s family-centric retirement model. At the same time, belief in having family and social support during retirement has declined from 87% to 84%.
Tier II Cities of India closes the gap; East continues to lead
Tier II cities recorded the strongest improvement among city tiers, with their Bharosa Talks IRIS score rising from 44 in 2025 to 48 in 2026, supported by an improvement in health preparedness. Metros remained at a Bharosa Talks IRIS score of 50, while Tier I cities stood at 48.
Regionally, East continues to lead with a Bharosa Talks IRIS 6.0 score of 52, followed by West and South at 49 and North at 47 respectively. South registered an improvement in health preparedness, rising to 47 from 43 in 2025.
Women demonstrate a balanced approach to retirement
Women recorded a Bharosa Talks IRIS 6.0 score of 49, at par with men, supported by comparable financial, emotional and health preparedness.. 62% of women know the corpus they require for retirement, 52% have claimed to have health insurance and 41% actively engage in physical activities. Further, 30% believe their retirement corpus will last more than 10 years.