Total debt service in India
India: Total debt service was 10.5% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Total debt service in India, 1975–2024
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of exports of goods, services and primary income.
Analysis
In 2024, total debt service in India stood at 10.5%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.3% on the previous year and down 43.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total debt service in India peaked at 35.6% in 1986 and was at its lowest, 6.0%, in 2009.
That places India 73rd out of 120 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 50 years of available data.
Total debt service in India, year by year
| Year | % of exports of goods, services and primary income | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 15.3% | — |
| 1976 | 18.1% | +18.5% |
| 1977 | 15.6% | -13.7% |
| 1978 | 15.3% | -1.8% |
| 1979 | 12.3% | -19.9% |
| 1980 | 11.3% | -7.7% |
| 1981 | 12.7% | +12.1% |
| 1982 | 15.5% | +21.7% |
| 1983 | 18.3% | +18.4% |
| 1984 | 20.6% | +12.7% |
| 1985 | 25.4% | +23.3% |
| 1986 | 35.6% | +39.8% |
| 1987 | 33.4% | -6.3% |
| 1988 | 31.5% | -5.7% |
| 1989 | 31.5% | +0.1% |
| 1990 | 33.0% | +4.6% |
| 1991 | 32.0% | -2.8% |
| 1992 | 28.7% | -10.4% |
| 1993 | 28.8% | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 32.3% | +11.9% |
| 1995 | 33.3% | +3.1% |
| 1996 | 27.6% | -17.0% |
| 1997 | 26.3% | -4.8% |
| 1998 | 24.8% | -5.8% |
| 1999 | 18.6% | -24.8% |
| 2000 | 17.1% | -8.3% |
| 2001 | 17.9% | +5.0% |
| 2002 | 20.9% | +16.7% |
| 2003 | 29.2% | +39.5% |
| 2004 | 14.5% | -50.3% |
| 2005 | 14.9% | +2.9% |
| 2006 | 8.6% | -42.2% |
| 2007 | 15.6% | +80.6% |
| 2008 | 9.7% | -38.1% |
| 2009 | 6.0% | -37.7% |
| 2010 | 6.8% | +13.3% |
| 2011 | 6.4% | -5.9% |
| 2012 | 6.7% | +4.7% |
| 2013 | 8.1% | +20.3% |
| 2014 | 18.6% | +130.6% |
| 2015 | 11.2% | -39.8% |
| 2016 | 17.3% | +54.0% |
| 2017 | 10.1% | -41.6% |
| 2018 | 11.4% | +13.0% |
| 2019 | 9.0% | -21.0% |
| 2020 | 15.1% | +67.2% |
| 2021 | 7.8% | -48.1% |
| 2022 | 8.3% | +5.8% |
| 2023 | 10.2% | +22.9% |
| 2024 | 10.5% | +3.3% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 10.5% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 16.6%, 63% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
- India's 10.5% is below the median for South Asia, which is 14.1%, 75% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Total debt service 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | +130.6% | 8.1% | 18.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 15.3% | 12.3% | 18.1% | 5 |
| 1980s | 23.6% | 11.3% | 35.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 28.5% | 18.6% | 33.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.4% | 6.0% | 29.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.6% | 6.4% | 18.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.4% | 7.8% | 15.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near India
- 70 Bosnia and Herzegovina 10.8% compare
- 71 Malawi 10.6% compare
- 72 Cambodia 10.5% compare
- 74 Belarus 10.5% compare
- 75 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 10.1% compare
- 76 Mauritania 9.7% 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)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 35.69 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.009 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 24.38 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 39.10 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 44.06 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0099 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 26.71 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 8.87 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total debt service in India?
- Total debt service in India was 10.5% in 2024, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest total debt service recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 35.6% in 1986.
- What is the lowest total debt service recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.0% in 2009.
- How does India rank for total debt service?
- India ranks 73rd out of 120 countries with data for 2024.
- Is total debt service rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 43.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB), published as part of Total debt service (% of exports of goods, services and primary income). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total debt service to exports of goods, services and primary income. Total debt service is the sum of principal repayments and interest actually paid in currency, goods, or services on long-term debt, interest paid on short-term debt, and repayments (repurchases and charges) to the IMF.