Trump's migration pause: What are 'Third World' countries? Is India on the list?

However, he did not specify exactly what he meant by "Third World" countries and which ones will be on the list.

What is meant by a 'Third World' country, who coined it?

Understanding what is meant by a “Third World” country requires revisiting how the term first emerged as well as how its meaning has shifted over the years. The expression was originally introduced by French demographer Alfred Sauvy in 1952 during the Cold War.

According to him,  the First World comprised the capitalist bloc (US + Western allies),tThe Second World included the communist bloc (then Soviet Union + its allies) and the Third World were those not aligned with either bloc (mostly Asia, Africa, Latin America).

This historical definition would mean places like Switzerland, Finland, Ireland, and Austria fit into the category of Third World, even though this is not how they are perceived today.

Modern definition of 'Third World'

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the term lost its original political intention. Its modern use typically refers to countries that are economically disadvantaged or still developing.

In this later meaning, “Third World” countries tend to show high levels of poverty, political or economic instability, and elevated mortality rates. Many are non-industrialized or newly industrialized.

Because the Cold War meaning and the later economic meaning are so different, misunderstandings about which states qualify continue to persist.

'Disrespectful, outdated'

The terminology has also generated substantial criticism. Its modern usage is often viewed as disrespectful, portraying certain nations as inferior or of reduced global value.

The idea that states labeled “First World” are inherently superior, or that those placed in the “Third World” are universally deficient, is inaccurate. As a result, the label is seen as outdated and at times derogatory.

Many speakers prefer more precise wording that does not imply a hierarchy. Even though the old political definition allowed wealthy or highly developed countries to be classified as “Third World,” the shift in usage made the phrase increasingly misleading.

Thus, the term's decline in the 1980s and after is tied not only to global political shifts but also to deeper concerns about representation.

Alternatives to 'Third World': Developing, least developed, low-income

Because of this discomfort, several alternatives now dominate international and academic language. Rather than using “Third World,” people frequently choose “developing countries,” “least developed countries,” or “low-income countries.”

These alternatives come from assessments by organisations such as the United Nations and the World Bank, which categorise countries based on human development, income levels, or structural vulnerabilities rather than Cold War geopolitics.

The United Nations Human Development Index recognizes groups such as developing or least-developed countries. Some UN Member States -- Monaco, Nauru, North Korea, and Somalia -- are not included in the Index’s formal list; except for Monaco, each would likely fall into developing or least-developed categories if evaluated.

The effort to replace “Third World” is meant to avoid the confusion and negative connotations that the older label brings.

Which are 'least developed countries' as per UN?

The UN currently designates 44 states as Least Developed Countries (LDCs), offering these economies special forms of assistance, preferential access to markets, capacity-building, and technical support.

As of December 2024, the LDC list includes 32 in Africa (such as Angola, Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zambia), 8 in Asia (including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Yemen), 1 in the Caribbean (Haiti), and 3 in the Pacific (Kiribati, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu).

The organisation notes that boundaries on its maps, including the line dividing the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan, are not final, and that the Jammu and Kashmir boundary remains unresolved.

Is India on the list of 'Third World' countries?

Whether India would be included under Trump’s proposed category depends entirely on the definition being used. Since Trump did not specify what qualifies as a “Third World Country,” no clear list can be assigned to his statement.

Under Sauvy’s original Cold War concept, India was among the non-aligned, meaning it could historically be placed in that category.

When looking at the modern but controversial economic interpretation, India is usually classified as a developing country, not an LDC, and thus does not fall into the UN’s list of 44 least developed nations. However, according to World Population Review, in the list of 2025 'Third World' countries according to Human Development Index, India features with HDI 0.685.

In other words, according to established global classifications, India is not in the same group as the UN-designated LDCs. But because Trump did not define the term in policy terms, his remarks do not identify whether India would be included or excluded from his proposed immigration halt.