External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in India
India: External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP was -1.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in India, 1960–2025
Source: National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in India is -1.7%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 2.6% on the previous year and up 24.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in India peaked at 0.6% in 1976 and was at its lowest, -6.7%, in 2012.
That places India 91st out of 191 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in India, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | -2.4% | — |
| 1961 | -1.7% | -30.2% |
| 1962 | -1.9% | +12.6% |
| 1963 | -1.6% | -12.7% |
| 1964 | -2.0% | +20.5% |
| 1965 | -1.9% | -2.8% |
| 1966 | -2.5% | +32.8% |
| 1967 | -1.9% | -24.4% |
| 1968 | -0.9% | -52.7% |
| 1969 | -0.3% | -64.9% |
| 1970 | -0.1% | -69.7% |
| 1971 | -0.3% | +248.7% |
| 1972 | 0.3% | -195.0% |
| 1973 | -0.5% | -261.5% |
| 1974 | -1.2% | +131.1% |
| 1975 | -1.0% | -15.9% |
| 1976 | 0.6% | -157.2% |
| 1977 | 0.1% | -79.3% |
| 1978 | -0.3% | -331.2% |
| 1979 | -1.4% | +419.3% |
| 1980 | -3.1% | +118.8% |
| 1981 | -2.6% | -15.1% |
| 1982 | -2.2% | -18.1% |
| 1983 | -2.0% | -6.7% |
| 1984 | -1.4% | -28.4% |
| 1985 | -2.4% | +65.7% |
| 1986 | -1.8% | -23.6% |
| 1987 | -1.4% | -24.7% |
| 1988 | -1.4% | +3.2% |
| 1989 | -1.1% | -20.0% |
| 1990 | -1.4% | +23.2% |
| 1991 | 0.0% | -100.1% |
| 1992 | -0.7% | -99074.2% |
| 1993 | 0.0% | -102.3% |
| 1994 | -0.3% | -1887.4% |
| 1995 | -1.2% | +290.6% |
| 1996 | -1.2% | -1.7% |
| 1997 | -1.2% | +6.8% |
| 1998 | -1.7% | +34.3% |
| 1999 | -1.9% | +15.0% |
| 2000 | -0.9% | -52.6% |
| 2001 | -0.9% | -3.3% |
| 2002 | -1.0% | +11.8% |
| 2003 | -0.7% | -28.9% |
| 2004 | -1.8% | +156.3% |
| 2005 | -2.8% | +56.3% |
| 2006 | -3.2% | +14.2% |
| 2007 | -4.1% | +28.2% |
| 2008 | -5.2% | +26.6% |
| 2009 | -5.5% | +5.8% |
| 2010 | -4.5% | -18.6% |
| 2011 | -6.5% | +46.9% |
| 2012 | -6.7% | +2.8% |
| 2013 | -3.0% | -55.7% |
| 2014 | -3.0% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | -2.3% | -23.1% |
| 2016 | -1.8% | -23.1% |
| 2017 | -3.2% | +78.9% |
| 2018 | -3.8% | +19.1% |
| 2019 | -2.6% | -31.5% |
| 2020 | -0.4% | -84.7% |
| 2021 | -2.6% | +567.6% |
| 2022 | -2.6% | -0.3% |
| 2023 | -1.6% | -38.4% |
| 2024 | -1.8% | +10.9% |
| 2025 | -1.7% | -2.6% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's -1.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is -9.2%, 19% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- India's -1.7% is above the median for South Asia, which is -4.8%, 36% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in India changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | -99074.2% | 0.0% | -0.7% |
| 1994 | -1887.4% | 0.0% | -0.3% |
| 2021 | -567.6% | -0.4% | -2.6% |
| 1979 | -419.3% | -0.3% | -1.4% |
| 1978 | -331.2% | 0.1% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | -290.6% | -0.3% | -1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -1.7% | -2.5% | -0.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | -0.4% | -1.4% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | -2.0% | -3.1% | -1.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | -1.0% | -1.9% | 0.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | -2.6% | -5.5% | -0.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | -3.7% | -6.7% | -1.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.8% | -2.6% | -0.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near India
More economy & growth data for India
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 5.66 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 6.5 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.07 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0047 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 12.83 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 0.0511 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0035 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 9.37 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 2.33 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0033 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in India?
- External balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in India was -1.7% in 2025, according to National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 0.6% in 1976.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was -6.7% in 2012.
- How does India rank for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp?
- India ranks 91st out of 191 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Exports of goods and services minus imports of goods and services divided by gross domestic product, expressed as a percentage.