Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in India
India: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 4.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in India, 1994–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
India recorded 4.5% for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 8.0% on the previous year and up 39.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in India peaked at 7.9% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 2.1%, in 1994.
That places India 113th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in India, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 2.1% | — |
| 2000 | 2.7% | +27.2% |
| 2005 | 3.8% | +39.3% |
| 2010 | 3.1% | -18.1% |
| 2012 | 3.2% | +3.4% |
| 2018 | 7.7% | +137.5% |
| 2019 | 6.5% | -14.9% |
| 2020 | 7.9% | +20.7% |
| 2021 | 6.4% | -18.8% |
| 2022 | 4.8% | -24.4% |
| 2023 | 4.2% | -13.5% |
| 2024 | 4.2% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 4.5% | +8.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 1 |
| 2000s | 3.3% | 2.7% | 3.8% | 2 |
| 2010s | 5.1% | 3.1% | 7.7% | 4 |
| 2020s | 5.3% | 4.2% | 7.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near India
More work & labour data for India
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.5076 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.5076 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.5078 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.12 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.47 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 876,613 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 782,365 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 743,542 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 761,710 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 1.51 million 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in India?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in India was 4.5% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 7.9% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.1% in 1994.
- How does India rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- India ranks 113th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 39.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.