Alcohol consumption per person in India
India: Alcohol consumption per person was 4.1 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
4.1 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age
Change on year
down 16.7%
World rank
98th
of 185 countries
All-time high
5.04 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age
in 2013
All-time low
1.97 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age
in 2000
Years of data
21
2000–2020
Alcohol consumption per person in India, 2000–2020
Source: Global Health Observatory Data Repository - World Health Organization (WHO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age.
Analysis
The most recent figure for alcohol consumption per person in India is 4.1 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age, measured in 2020.
The figure is down 16.7% on the previous year and down 11.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, alcohol consumption per person in India peaked at 5.04 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in 2013 and was at its lowest, 1.97 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age, in 2000.
India ranks 98th of 185 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 21 years of available data.
Alcohol consumption per person in India, year by year
| Year | liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1.97 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | — |
| 2001 | 1.97 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 2.11 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +7.1% |
| 2003 | 2.21 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +4.7% |
| 2004 | 2.29 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +3.6% |
| 2005 | 2.39 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +4.4% |
| 2006 | 2.6 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +8.8% |
| 2007 | 2.95 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +13.5% |
| 2008 | 3.53 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +19.7% |
| 2009 | 4.11 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +16.4% |
| 2010 | 4.62 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +12.4% |
| 2011 | 4.89 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +5.8% |
| 2012 | 5.02 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 5.04 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 5.02 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 4.96 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 4.87 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -1.8% |
| 2017 | 4.87 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 4.92 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 4.92 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 4.1 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -16.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.61 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 1.97 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 4.11 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.91 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 4.62 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 5.04 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.1 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 4.1 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 4.1 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 1 |
Countries ranked near India
- 95 Colombia 4.24 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
- 96 Burundi 4.16 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
- 97 Angola 4.13 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
- 99 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 3.87 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
- 100 Nigeria 3.78 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
- 101 Guinea-Bissau 3.73 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
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)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 6.4 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.2004 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita 541.44 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- External balance on goods and services (current US$), annual growth -2.45 % change on previous year (2025)
- External balance on goods and services (current LCU), annual growth -5.78 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), annual 0.3362 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 14.18 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 38,313 current LCU per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is alcohol consumption per person in India?
- Alcohol consumption per person in India was 4.1 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in 2020, according to Global Health Observatory Data Repository - World Health Organization (WHO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest alcohol consumption per person recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 5.04 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in 2013.
- What is the lowest alcohol consumption per person recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.97 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in 2000.
- How does India rank for alcohol consumption per person?
- India ranks 98th out of 185 countries with data for 2020.
- Is alcohol consumption per person rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Observatory Data Repository - World Health Organization (WHO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Alcohol consumption per person. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated consumption of alcohol is measured in liters of pure alcohol per person aged 15 or older, per year.