External balance on goods and services (current LCU) in India
India: External balance on goods and services (current LCU) was -6.02 trillion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-6.02 trillion current LCU
Change on year
down 5.8%
World rank
181st
of 193 countries
All-time high
5.25 billion current LCU
in 1976
All-time low
-7.11 trillion current LCU
in 2018
Years of data
66
1960–2025
External balance on goods and services in India, 1960–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
India recorded -6.02 trillion current LCU for external balance on goods and services in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.8% on the previous year and down 90.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services in India peaked at 5.25 billion current LCU in 1976 and was at its lowest, -7.11 trillion current LCU, in 2018.
That places India 181st out of 193 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External balance on goods and services (current LCU) in India, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | -4.18 billion current LCU | — |
| 1961 | -3.09 billion current LCU | -26.1% |
| 1962 | -3.74 billion current LCU | +21.0% |
| 1963 | -3.75 billion current LCU | +0.3% |
| 1964 | -5.27 billion current LCU | +40.5% |
| 1965 | -5.40 billion current LCU | +2.5% |
| 1966 | -8.12 billion current LCU | +50.4% |
| 1967 | -7.19 billion current LCU | -11.5% |
| 1968 | -3.60 billion current LCU | -49.9% |
| 1969 | -1.39 billion current LCU | -61.4% |
| 1970 | -450.00 million current LCU | -67.6% |
| 1971 | -1.68 billion current LCU | +273.3% |
| 1972 | 1.76 billion current LCU | -204.8% |
| 1973 | -3.46 billion current LCU | -296.6% |
| 1974 | -9.44 billion current LCU | +172.8% |
| 1975 | -8.52 billion current LCU | -9.7% |
| 1976 | 5.25 billion current LCU | -161.6% |
| 1977 | 1.23 billion current LCU | -76.6% |
| 1978 | -3.08 billion current LCU | -350.4% |
| 1979 | -17.54 billion current LCU | +469.5% |
| 1980 | -45.67 billion current LCU | +160.4% |
| 1981 | -45.53 billion current LCU | -0.3% |
| 1982 | -41.73 billion current LCU | -8.3% |
| 1983 | -45.36 billion current LCU | +8.7% |
| 1984 | -36.38 billion current LCU | -19.8% |
| 1985 | -68.03 billion current LCU | +87.0% |
| 1986 | -58.16 billion current LCU | -14.5% |
| 1987 | -49.78 billion current LCU | -14.4% |
| 1988 | -60.97 billion current LCU | +22.5% |
| 1989 | -56.03 billion current LCU | -8.1% |
| 1990 | -80.63 billion current LCU | +43.9% |
| 1991 | 50.00 million current LCU | -100.1% |
| 1992 | -56.88 billion current LCU | -113860.0% |
| 1993 | 1.48 billion current LCU | -102.6% |
| 1994 | -31.03 billion current LCU | -2196.6% |
| 1995 | -142.20 billion current LCU | +358.3% |
| 1996 | -161.68 billion current LCU | +13.7% |
| 1997 | -191.30 billion current LCU | +18.3% |
| 1998 | -294.65 billion current LCU | +54.0% |
| 1999 | -380.05 billion current LCU | +29.0% |
| 2000 | -193.97 billion current LCU | -49.0% |
| 2001 | -202.93 billion current LCU | +4.6% |
| 2002 | -244.25 billion current LCU | +20.4% |
| 2003 | -194.53 billion current LCU | -20.4% |
| 2004 | -568.94 billion current LCU | +192.5% |
| 2005 | -1.01 trillion current LCU | +78.2% |
| 2006 | -1.36 trillion current LCU | +33.8% |
| 2007 | -2.00 trillion current LCU | +47.6% |
| 2008 | -2.85 trillion current LCU | +42.5% |
| 2009 | -3.48 trillion current LCU | +22.1% |
| 2010 | -3.40 trillion current LCU | -2.4% |
| 2011 | -5.72 trillion current LCU | +68.1% |
| 2012 | -6.69 trillion current LCU | +17.0% |
| 2013 | -3.35 trillion current LCU | -49.9% |
| 2014 | -3.72 trillion current LCU | +11.1% |
| 2015 | -3.16 trillion current LCU | -15.1% |
| 2016 | -2.72 trillion current LCU | -14.1% |
| 2017 | -5.40 trillion current LCU | +98.6% |
| 2018 | -7.11 trillion current LCU | +31.7% |
| 2019 | -5.18 trillion current LCU | -27.1% |
| 2020 | -780.57 billion current LCU | -84.9% |
| 2021 | -6.19 trillion current LCU | +693.5% |
| 2022 | -6.84 trillion current LCU | +10.4% |
| 2023 | -4.68 trillion current LCU | -31.6% |
| 2024 | -5.69 trillion current LCU | +21.7% |
| 2025 | -6.02 trillion current LCU | +5.8% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's -6.02 trillion current LCU is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is -57.12 billion current LCU, 105.4× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- India's -6.02 trillion current LCU is below the median for South Asia, which is -1.41 trillion current LCU, 4.3× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External balance on goods and services (current LCU) 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 | -113860.0% | 50.00 million current LCU | -56.88 billion current LCU |
| 1994 | -2196.6% | 1.48 billion current LCU | -31.03 billion current LCU |
| 2021 | -693.5% | -780.57 billion current LCU | -6.19 trillion current LCU |
| 1979 | -469.5% | -3.08 billion current LCU | -17.54 billion current LCU |
| 1995 | -358.3% | -31.03 billion current LCU | -142.20 billion current LCU |
| 1978 | -350.4% | 1.23 billion current LCU | -3.08 billion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -4.57 billion current LCU | -8.12 billion current LCU | -1.39 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1970s | -3.59 billion current LCU | -17.54 billion current LCU | 5.25 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | -50.76 billion current LCU | -68.03 billion current LCU | -36.38 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | -133.69 billion current LCU | -380.05 billion current LCU | 1.48 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | -1.21 trillion current LCU | -3.48 trillion current LCU | -193.97 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | -4.64 trillion current LCU | -7.11 trillion current LCU | -2.72 trillion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | -5.03 trillion current LCU | -6.84 trillion current LCU | -780.57 billion current LCU | 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 in India?
- External balance on goods and services in India was -6.02 trillion current LCU in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest external balance on goods and services recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 5.25 billion current LCU in 1976.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was -7.11 trillion current LCU in 2018.
- How does India rank for external balance on goods and services?
- India ranks 181st out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 90.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks, published as part of External balance on goods and services (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
The balance of international trade in goods and services is the difference between the exports and imports of goods and services. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.