It is a consensus in academic discourse that regional disparity in India is not converging. Nonetheless, some studies argue that conclusions regarding regional convergence are sensitive to the measures employed to define regional disparities. In this study, we use night-time light radiance data from 2012 to 2021 to illustrate the converging pattern of regional disparity in India, specifically employing state-level VIIRS night-time light data for this purpose. Our analysis concludes that there is no regional convergence among all sample states in India. However, the club convergence hypothesis is relevant here, as 12 states form two clubs and exhibit convergence properties. In contrast, 13 major states in India show no signs of convergence. Furthermore, we identify three states that are diverging. Thus, based on night-time light data, we conclude that Indian states have not shown a convergence pattern recently, and regional disparity remains a significant issue in the Indian economy. This finding supports the existing literature in the Indian context, where regional convergence is absent among Indian states. JEL: O40, O47, R11, R12
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