Employment to population ratio in India

India: Employment to population ratio was 53.31 in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
53.31
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
128th
of 186 countries
All-time high
55.52
in 2000
All-time low
47.5
in 2020
Years of data
35
1991–2025

Employment to population ratio in India, 1991–2025

02040601991200820251991: 53.51992: 53.61993: 53.61994: 53.71995: 541996: 54.31997: 54.61998: 54.91999: 55.22000: 55.52001: 55.42002: 55.22003: 55.12004: 54.92005: 54.82006: 53.92007: 53.12008: 52.22009: 51.42010: 50.62011: 502012: 49.42013: 49.32014: 49.12015: 492016: 48.82017: 48.72018: 48.52019: 48.92020: 47.52021: 49.22022: 512023: 52.42024: 53.32025: 53.3

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for employment to population ratio in India is 53.31, measured in 2025.

That represents a change of up 8.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, employment to population ratio in India peaked at 55.52 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 47.5, in 2020.

That places India 128th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.

Employment to population ratio in India, year by year

Annual values for Employment to population ratio in India, 1991 to 2025.
Year Value Change
1991 53.54 —
1992 53.56 +0.0%
1993 53.58 +0.0%
1994 53.66 +0.1%
1995 53.98 +0.6%
1996 54.3 +0.6%
1997 54.59 +0.5%
1998 54.89 +0.5%
1999 55.21 +0.6%
2000 55.52 +0.6%
2001 55.36 -0.3%
2002 55.17 -0.3%
2003 55.06 -0.2%
2004 54.93 -0.2%
2005 54.81 -0.2%
2006 53.94 -1.6%
2007 53.08 -1.6%
2008 52.2 -1.7%
2009 51.38 -1.6%
2010 50.59 -1.5%
2011 50.01 -1.1%
2012 49.42 -1.2%
2013 49.27 -0.3%
2014 49.13 -0.3%
2015 48.98 -0.3%
2016 48.83 -0.3%
2017 48.66 -0.4%
2018 48.47 -0.4%
2019 48.88 +0.9%
2020 47.5 -2.8%
2021 49.17 +3.5%
2022 51 +3.7%
2023 52.41 +2.8%
2024 53.32 +1.7%
2025 53.31 -0.0%

India compared with similar countries

  • India's 53.31 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 54.36, 98% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
  • India's 53.31 is below the median for South Asia, which is 54.94, 97% of the median. (6 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 54.15 53.54 55.21 9
2000s 54.14 51.38 55.52 10
2010s 49.22 48.47 50.59 10
2020s 51.12 47.5 53.32 6

Countries ranked near India

  1. 125 Costa Rica 53.71 compare
  2. 126 Comoros 53.64 compare
  3. 127 Myanmar 53.41 compare
  4. 129 Botswana 51.96 compare
  5. 130 Armenia 51.74 compare
  6. 131 Sierra Leone 51.69 compare

See the full ranking of 186 places →

More work & labour data for India

All data for India →

Frequently asked questions

What is employment to population ratio in India?
Employment to population ratio in India was 53.31 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest employment to population ratio recorded in India?
The highest recorded value was 55.52 in 2000.
What is the lowest employment to population ratio recorded in India?
The lowest recorded value was 47.5 in 2020.
How does India rank for employment to population ratio?
India ranks 128th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
Is employment to population ratio rising or falling in India?
Over the last ten years it is up 8.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this India data come from?
The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Employment to population ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Employment to population ratio in India. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 10 November 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/employment-to-population-ratio/india/

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About this data

Indicator
Employment to population ratio
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
186 places, 6,496 data points, 1991–2025
Last refreshed