{ "Introduction": { "Background": { "text": "

The Indus Valley civilization, one of the world's oldest, flourished during the 3rd and 2nd millennia B.C. and extended into northwestern India. Aryan tribes from the northwest infiltrated the Indian subcontinent about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. The Maurya Empire of the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C. -- which reached its zenith under ASHOKA -- united much of South Asia. The Gupta dynasty (4th to 6th centuries A.D.) ushered in The Golden Age, which saw a flowering of Indian science, art, and culture. Islam spread across the subcontinent over a period of 700 years. In the 10th and 11th centuries, Turks and Afghans invaded India and established the Delhi Sultanate. In the early 16th century, the Emperor BABUR established the Mughal Dynasty, which ruled large sections of India for more than three centuries. European explorers began establishing footholds in India during the 16th century.

By the 19th century, Great Britain had become the dominant political power on the subcontinent, and India was seen as the \"Jewel in the Crown\" of the British Empire. The British Indian Army played a vital role in both World Wars. Years of nonviolent resistance to British rule, led by Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU, eventually resulted in Indian independence in 1947. Large-scale communal violence took place before and after the subcontinent partition into two separate states -- India and Pakistan. The neighboring countries have fought three wars since independence, the last of which was in 1971 and resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. India's nuclear weapons tests in 1998 emboldened Pakistan to conduct its own tests that same year. In 2008, terrorists originating from Pakistan conducted a series of coordinated attacks in Mumbai, India's financial capital. India's economic growth after economic reforms in 1991, a massive youth population, and a strategic geographic location have contributed to the country's emergence as a regional and global power. However, India still faces pressing problems such as extensive poverty, widespread corruption, and environmental degradation, and its restrictive business climate challenges economic growth expectations.

" } }, "Geography": { "Location": { "text": "Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan" }, "Geographic coordinates": { "text": "20 00 N, 77 00 E" }, "Map references": { "text": "Asia" }, "Area": { "total ": { "text": "3,287,263 sq km" }, "land": { "text": "2,973,193 sq km" }, "water": { "text": "314,070 sq km" } }, "Area - comparative": { "text": "slightly more than one-third the size of the US" }, "Land boundaries": { "total": { "text": "13,888 km" }, "border countries": { "text": "Bangladesh 4,142 km; Bhutan 659 km; Burma 1,468 km; China 2,659 km; Nepal 1,770 km; Pakistan 3,190 km" } }, "Coastline": { "text": "7,000 km" }, "Maritime claims": { "territorial sea": { "text": "12 nm" }, "contiguous zone": { "text": "24 nm" }, "exclusive economic zone": { "text": "200 nm" }, "continental shelf": { "text": "200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin" } }, "Climate": { "text": "varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north" }, "Terrain": { "text": "upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north" }, "Elevation": { "highest point": { "text": "Kanchenjunga 8,586 m" }, "lowest point": { "text": "Indian Ocean 0 m" }, "mean elevation": { "text": "160 m" } }, "Natural resources": { "text": "coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), antimony, iron ore, lead, manganese, mica, bauxite, rare earth elements, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds, petroleum, limestone, arable land" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "60.1% (2023 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 51.8% (2023 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 4.9% (2023 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 3.4% (2023 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "24.4% (2023 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "15.5% (2023 est.)" } }, "Irrigated land": { "text": "754,562 sq km (2022)" }, "Major lakes (area sq km)": { "salt water lake(s)": { "text": "Chilika Lake - 1,170 sq km" } }, "Major rivers (by length in km)": { "text": "Brahmaputra (shared with China [s] and Bangladesh [m]) - 3,969 km; Indus (shared with China [s] and Pakistan [m]) - 3,610 km; Ganges river source (shared with Bangladesh [m]) - 2,704 km; Godavari - 1,465 km; Sutlej (shared with China [s] and Pakistan [m]) - 1,372 km; Yamuna - 1,370 km; Narmada - 1,289 km; Chenab river source (shared with Pakistan [m]) - 1,086 km ; Ghaghara river mouth (shared with China [s] and Nepal) - 1,080 km

note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth" }, "Major watersheds (area sq km)": { "Indian Ocean drainage": { "text": "Brahmaputra (651,335 sq km), Ganges (1,016,124 sq km), Indus (1,081,718 sq km), Irrawaddy (413,710 sq km)" } }, "Major aquifers": { "text": "Indus-Ganges-Brahmaputra Basin" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "a very high population density exists throughout most of the country, with the notable exception of the deserts in the northwest and the mountain fringe in the north; the core of the population is in the north along the banks of the Ganges, with other river valleys and southern coastal areas also having large population concentrations" }, "Natural hazards": { "text": "droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes

volcanism: Barren Island (354 m) in the Andaman Sea has been active in recent years" }, "Geography - note": { "text": "dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian Ocean trade routes; Kanchenjunga, third tallest mountain in the world, lies on the border with Nepal" } }, "People and Society": { "Population": { "total": { "text": "1,419,316,933 (2025 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "730,902,574" }, "female": { "text": "688,414,359" } }, "Nationality": { "noun": { "text": "Indian(s)" }, "adjective": { "text": "Indian" } }, "Ethnic groups": { "text": "Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, and other 3% (2000)" }, "Languages": { "Languages": { "text": "Hindi 43.6%, Bengali 8%, Marathi 6.9%, Telugu 6.7%, Tamil 5.7%, Gujarati 4.6%, Urdu 4.2%, Kannada 3.6%, Odia 3.1%, Malayalam 2.9%, Punjabi 2.7%, Assamese 1.3%, Maithili 1.1%, other 5.6%;  English is the subsidiary official language but is the most important one for national, political, and commercial communication (2011 est.)" }, "major-language sample(s)": { "text": "

विश्व फ़ैक्टबुक, आधारभूत जानकारी का एक अनिवार्य स्रोत (Hindi)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information." }, "note": "note 1: there are 22 other recognized languages -- Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu
note 2: Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India but is not an official language" }, "Religions": { "text": "Hindu 79.8%, Muslim 14.2%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.7%, other and unspecified 2% (2011 est.)" }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { "text": "24.5% (male 181,115,052/female 163,647,028)" }, "15-64 years": { "text": "68.7% (male 500,568,593/female 467,593,781)" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "6.8% (2024 est.) (male 44,101,180/female 52,102,662)" } }, "Dependency ratios": { "total dependency ratio": { "text": "45 (2025 est.)" }, "youth dependency ratio": { "text": "35 (2025 est.)" }, "elderly dependency ratio": { "text": "10 (2025 est.)" }, "potential support ratio": { "text": "10 (2025 est.)" } }, "Median age": { "total": { "text": "30.1 years (2025 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "29.1 years" }, "female": { "text": "30.5 years" } }, "Population growth rate": { "text": "0.72% (2025 est.)" }, "Birth rate": { "text": "15.91 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)" }, "Death rate": { "text": "8.7 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)" }, "Net migration rate": { "text": "0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "a very high population density exists throughout most of the country, with the notable exception of the deserts in the northwest and the mountain fringe in the north; the core of the population is in the north along the banks of the Ganges, with other river valleys and southern coastal areas also having large population concentrations" }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { "text": "36.4% of total population (2023)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "2.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)" } }, "Major urban areas - population": { "text": "32.941 million NEW DELHI (capital), 21.297 million Mumbai, 15.333 million Kolkata, 13.608 million Bangalore, 11.776 million Chennai, 10.801 million Hyderabad (2023)" }, "Sex ratio": { "at birth": { "text": "1.1 male(s)/female" }, "0-14 years": { "text": "1.11 male(s)/female" }, "15-64 years": { "text": "1.07 male(s)/female" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "0.85 male(s)/female" }, "total population": { "text": "1.06 male(s)/female (2024 est.)" } }, "Mother's mean age at first birth": { "text": "21.2 years (2019/21)", "note": "note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49" }, "Maternal mortality ratio": { "text": "80 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)" }, "Infant mortality rate": { "total": { "text": "30.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "30 deaths/1,000 live births" }, "female": { "text": "30.8 deaths/1,000 live births" } }, "Life expectancy at birth": { "total population": { "text": "68.2 years (2024 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "66.5 years" }, "female": { "text": "70.1 years" } }, "Total fertility rate": { "text": "2 children born/woman (2025 est.)" }, "Gross reproduction rate": { "text": "0.95 (2025 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 95.8% of population (2022 est.)" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 91.9% of population (2022 est.)" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 93.3% of population (2022 est.)" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 4.2% of population (2022 est.)" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 8.1% of population (2022 est.)" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 6.7% of population (2022 est.)" } }, "Health expenditure": { "Health expenditure (as % of GDP)": { "text": "3.3% of GDP (2021)" }, "Health expenditure (as % of national budget)": { "text": "4.5% of national budget (2022 est.)" } }, "Physician density": { "text": "0.72 physicians/1,000 population (2020)" }, "Hospital bed density": { "text": "1.6 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 99.4% of population (2022 est.)" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 83% of population (2022 est.)" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 88.9% of population (2022 est.)" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 0.6% of population (2022 est.)" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 17% of population (2022 est.)" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 11.1% of population (2022 est.)" } }, "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": { "text": "3.9% (2016)" }, "Alcohol consumption per capita": { "total": { "text": "3.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "beer": { "text": "0.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "wine": { "text": "0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "spirits": { "text": "2.85 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "other alcohols": { "text": "0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" } }, "Tobacco use": { "total": { "text": "21.8% (2025 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "34.1% (2025 est.)" }, "female": { "text": "8.9% (2025 est.)" } }, "Children under the age of 5 years underweight": { "text": "31.5% (2020 est.)" }, "Currently married women (ages 15-49)": { "text": "72.3% (2020 est.)" }, "Child marriage": { "women married by age 15": { "text": "4.8% (2021)" }, "women married by age 18": { "text": "23.3% (2021)" }, "men married by age 18": { "text": "2.6% (2021)" } }, "Education expenditure": { "Education expenditure (% GDP)": { "text": "4.1% of GDP (2022 est.)" }, "Education expenditure (% national budget)": { "text": "14.2% national budget (2022 est.)" } }, "Literacy": { "total population": { "text": "81.7% (2023 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "88.3% (2023 est.)" }, "female": { "text": "74.9% (2023 est.)" } }, "School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)": { "total": { "text": "13 years (2024 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "13 years (2024 est.)" }, "female": { "text": "13 years (2024 est.)" } } }, "Environment": { "Environmental issues": { "text": "deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage and agricultural pesticides; tap water not potable; growing population overstraining natural resources; biodiversity loss" }, "International environmental agreements": { "party to": { "text": "Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling" }, "signed, but not ratified": { "text": "none of the selected agreements" } }, "Climate": { "text": "varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "60.1% (2023 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 51.8% (2023 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 4.9% (2023 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 3.4% (2023 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "24.4% (2023 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "15.5% (2023 est.)" } }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { "text": "36.4% of total population (2023)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "2.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)" } }, "Carbon dioxide emissions": { "total emissions": { "text": "2.821 billion metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)" }, "from coal and metallurgical coke": { "text": "2.054 billion metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)" }, "from petroleum and other liquids": { "text": "642.909 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)" }, "from consumed natural gas": { "text": "124.226 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)" } }, "Particulate matter emissions": { "text": "55.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)" }, "Methane emissions": { "energy": { "text": "8,217.3 kt (2022-2024 est.)" }, "agriculture": { "text": "17,971 kt (2019-2021 est.)" }, "waste": { "text": "4,773.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "644.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { "municipal solid waste generated annually": { "text": "189.75 million tons (2024 est.)" }, "percent of municipal solid waste recycled": { "text": "17.8% (2022 est.)" } }, "Total water withdrawal": { "municipal": { "text": "56 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)" }, "industrial": { "text": "17 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)" }, "agricultural": { "text": "688 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)" } }, "Total renewable water resources": { "text": "1.911 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.)" } }, "Government": { "Country name": { "conventional long form": { "text": "Republic of India" }, "conventional short form": { "text": "India" }, "local long form": { "text": "Republic of India (English)/ Bharatiya Ganarajya (Hindi)" }, "local short form": { "text": "India (English)/ Bharat (Hindi)" }, "etymology": { "text": "the English name derives from the Indus River; the Indian name, Bharat, may derive from the Bharatas tribe mentioned in the Sanskrit Vedas (Hindu religious texts); the name is also associated with Emperor Bharata, the legendary conqueror of India" } }, "Government type": { "text": "federal parliamentary republic" }, "Capital": { "name": { "text": "New Delhi" }, "geographic coordinates": { "text": "28 36 N, 77 12 E" }, "time difference": { "text": "UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)" }, "etymology": { "text": "the name is of unknown origin; one theory says it may come from the Hindi word dehli (threshold), because of the city's location between the Indus and the Ganges Rivers" } }, "Administrative divisions": { "text": "28 states and 8 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar Islands*, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh*, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu*, Delhi*, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir*, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Ladakh*, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Puducherry*, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal", "note": "note: the official name of Delhi is National Capital Territory of Delhi, even though it is considered a union territory" }, "Legal system": { "text": "common law system based on the English model; separate personal law codes apply to Muslims, Christians, and Hindus; judicial review of legislative acts" }, "Constitution": { "history": { "text": "previous 1935 (pre-independence); latest draft completed 4 November 1949, adopted 26 November 1949, effective 26 January 1950" }, "amendment process": { "text": "proposed by either the Council of States or the House of the People; passage requires majority participation of the total membership in each house and at least two-thirds majority of voting members of each house, followed by assent of the president of India; proposed amendments to the constitutional amendment procedures also must be ratified by at least one half of the India state legislatures before presidential assent" } }, "International law organization participation": { "text": "accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt" }, "Citizenship": { "citizenship by birth": { "text": "no" }, "citizenship by descent only": { "text": "at least one parent must be a citizen of India" }, "dual citizenship recognized": { "text": "no" }, "residency requirement for naturalization": { "text": "5 years" } }, "Suffrage": { "text": "18 years of age; universal" }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { "text": "President Droupadi MURMU (since 25 July 2022)" }, "head of government": { "text": "Prime Minister Narendra MODI (since 26 May 2014)" }, "cabinet": { "text": "Union Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister, appointed by the president" }, "election/appointment process": { "text": "president indirectly elected for a 5-year term (no term limits) by an electoral college consisting of elected members of both houses of Parliament" }, "most recent election date": { "text": "18 July 2022" }, "election results": { "text": "
2022: Droupadi MURMU elected president; percent of electoral college vote - Droupadi MURMU (BJP) 64%, Yashwant SINHA (AITC) 35.9%; Jagdeep DHANKHAR elected vice president; percent of electoral college vote - Jagdeep DHANKHAR (BJP) 74.4%, Margaret ALVA (INC) 25.6%" }, "expected date of next election": { "text": "July 2027" } }, "Legislative branch": { "legislature name": { "text": "Parliament (Sansad)" }, "legislative structure": { "text": "bicameral" }, "note": "note: in September 2023, both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha passed a bill that reserves one third of the House seats for women; implementation could begin for the House election in 2029" }, "Legislative branch - lower chamber": { "chamber name": { "text": "House of the People (Lok Sabha)" }, "number of seats": { "text": "545 (543 directly elected; 2 appointed)" }, "electoral system": { "text": "plurality/majority" }, "scope of elections": { "text": "full renewal" }, "term in office": { "text": "5 years" }, "most recent election date": { "text": "4/19/2024 to 6/1/2024" }, "parties elected and seats per party": { "text": "Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) (240); Indian National Congress (INC) (99); Samajwadi Party (SP) (37); All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) (29); Other (138)" }, "percentage of women in chamber": { "text": "13.8%" }, "expected date of next election": { "text": "April 2029" } }, "Legislative branch - upper chamber": { "chamber name": { "text": "Council of States (Rajya Sabha)" }, "number of seats": { "text": "245 (233 indirectly elected; 12 appointed)" }, "scope of elections": { "text": "partial renewal" }, "term in office": { "text": "6 years" }, "most recent election date": { "text": "1/12/2024 to 6/30/2024" }, "percentage of women in chamber": { "text": "16.7%" }, "expected date of next election": { "text": "January 2026" } }, "Judicial branch": { "highest court(s)": { "text": "Supreme Court (consists of 28 judges, including the chief justice)" }, "judge selection and term of office": { "text": "justices appointed by the president to serve until age 65" }, "subordinate courts": { "text": "High Courts; District Courts; Labour Court" } }, "Political parties": { "text": "Aam Aadmi Party or AAP
All India Trinamool Congress or AITC
Bahujan Samaj Party or BSP
Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP
Biju Janata Dal or BJD
Communist Party of India-Marxist or CPI(M)
Dravida Munnetra Khazhagam
Indian National Congress or INC
Nationalist Congress Party or NCP
Rashtriya Janata Dal or RJD
Samajwadi Party or SP
Shiromani Akali Dal or SAD
Shiv Sena or SS
Telegana Rashtra Samithi or TRS
Telugu Desam Party or TDP
YSR Congress or YSRCP or YCP" }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { "text": "Ambassador Vinay Mohan KWATRA (since 18 September 2024)" }, "chancery": { "text": "2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008" }, "telephone": { "text": "[1] (202) 939-7000" }, "FAX": { "text": "[1] (202) 265-4351" }, "email address and website": { "text": "
hoc.washington@mea.gov.in

https://www.indianembassyusa.gov.in/" }, "consulate(s) general": { "text": "Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco, Seattle" } }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { "text": "Ambassador-designate Sergio GOR (since 11 October 2025)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi - 110021" }, "mailing address": { "text": "9000 New Delhi Place, Washington DC  20521-9000" }, "telephone": { "text": "[91] (11) 2419-8000" }, "FAX": { "text": "[91] (11) 2419-0017" }, "email address and website": { "text": "
acsnd@state.gov

https://in.usembassy.gov/" }, "consulate(s) general": { "text": "Chennai (Madras), Hyderabad, Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay)" } }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIMSTEC, BIS, BRICS, C, CD, CERN (observer), CICA, CP, EAS, FAO, FATF, G-15, G-20, G-24, G-5, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, PIF (partner), Quad, SAARC, SACEP, SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNSOM, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" }, "Independence": { "text": "15 August 1947 (from the UK)" }, "National holiday": { "text": "Republic Day, 26 January (1950)" }, "Flag": { "text": "description: three equal horizontal bands of saffron (top), white, and green, with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in the white band

meaning: saffron stands for courage, sacrifice, and the spirit of renunciation; white for purity and truth; green for faith and fertility; the chakra symbolizes the wheel of life in movement and death in stagnation", "note": "note: similar to the flag of Niger, which has a small orange disk centered in the white band" }, "National symbol(s)": { "text": "the Lion Capital of Ashoka, which depicts four Asiatic lions standing back-to-back and mounted on a circular abacus (official); Bengal tiger and lotus flower (traditional)" }, "National color(s)": { "text": "saffron, white, green" }, "National anthem(s)": { "title": { "text": "\"Jana-Gana-Mana\" (Thou Art the Ruler of the Minds of All People)" }, "lyrics/music": { "text": "Rabindranath TAGORE" }, "history": { "text": "adopted 1950; Rabindranath TAGORE, a Nobel laureate, also wrote Bangladesh's national anthem" } }, "National heritage": { "total World Heritage Sites": { "text": "44 (36 cultural, 7 natural, 1 mixed)" }, "selected World Heritage Site locales": { "text": "

Taj Mahal (c); Agra Fort (c); Elphanta Caves (c); Hill Forts of Rajasthan (c); Sundarbans National Park (n); Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka (c); Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park (c); Jaipur (c); Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya (c); Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (n); Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks (n); Khangchendzonga National Park (m); Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram (c); Sun Temple, Konârak (c); Kaziranga National Park (n); Churches and Convents of Goa (c); Great Living Chola Temples (c); Group of Monuments at Pattadakal (c); Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi (c); Humayun's Tomb, Delhi (c); Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi (c); Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area (n); Rani-ki-Vav (the Queen’s Stepwell) at Patan, Gujarat (c); Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara at Nalanda, Bihar (c); Historic City of Ahmadabad (c); Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai (c); Jaipur City, Rajasthan (c); Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple, Telangana (c); Moidams – the Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty (c); Maratha Military Landscapes of India (c) 

" } } }, "Economy": { "Economic overview": { "text": "

largest South Asian economy; strong, sustained GDP growth led by technology and service sectors, foreign investment, and improved regulatory framework; high poverty rate and income inequality; initiatives on infrastructure development, digitization, manufacturing, and financial access

" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024": { "text": "$14.244 trillion (2024 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023": { "text": "$13.377 trillion (2023 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022": { "text": "$12.251 trillion (2022 est.)" }, "note": "note: data in 2021 dollars" }, "Real GDP growth rate": { "Real GDP growth rate 2024": { "text": "6.5% (2024 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2023": { "text": "9.2% (2023 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2022": { "text": "7.6% (2022 est.)" }, "note": "note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency" }, "Real GDP per capita": { "Real GDP per capita 2024": { "text": "$9,800 (2024 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2023": { "text": "$9,300 (2023 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2022": { "text": "$8,600 (2022 est.)" }, "note": "note: data in 2021 dollars" }, "GDP (official exchange rate)": { "text": "$3.913 trillion (2024 est.)", "note": "note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": { "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024": { "text": "5% (2024 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023": { "text": "5.6% (2023 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022": { "text": "6.7% (2022 est.)" }, "note": "note: annual % change based on consumer prices" }, "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": { "agriculture": { "text": "16.4% (2024 est.)" }, "industry": { "text": "24.5% (2024 est.)" }, "services": { "text": "49.9% (2024 est.)" }, "note": "note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data" }, "GDP - composition, by end use": { "household consumption": { "text": "61.5% (2024 est.)" }, "government consumption": { "text": "10.1% (2024 est.)" }, "investment in fixed capital": { "text": "29.6% (2024 est.)" }, "investment in inventories": { "text": "3% (2024 est.)" }, "exports of goods and services": { "text": "21.2% (2024 est.)" }, "imports of goods and services": { "text": "-23.5% (2024 est.)" }, "note": "note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection" }, "Agricultural products": { "text": "sugarcane, rice, milk, wheat, bison milk, potatoes, vegetables, maize, bananas, onions (2023)", "note": "note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage" }, "Industries": { "text": "textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery, software, pharmaceuticals" }, "Industrial production growth rate": { "text": "5.6% (2024 est.)", "note": "note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency" }, "Labor force": { "text": "607.691 million (2024 est.)", "note": "note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work" }, "Unemployment rate": { "Unemployment rate 2024": { "text": "4.3% (2024 est.)" }, "Unemployment rate 2023": { "text": "4.2% (2023 est.)" }, "Unemployment rate 2022": { "text": "4.9% (2022 est.)" }, "note": "note: % of labor force seeking employment" }, "Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)": { "total": { "text": "16% (2024 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "15.5% (2024 est.)" }, "female": { "text": "17.6% (2024 est.)" }, "note": "note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment" }, "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income": { "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022": { "text": "25.5 (2022 est.)" }, "note": "note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality" }, "Average household expenditures": { "on food": { "text": "29.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.)" }, "on alcohol and tobacco": { "text": "2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)" } }, "Household income or consumption by percentage share": { "lowest 10%": { "text": "4.5% (2022 est.)" }, "highest 10%": { "text": "22.1% (2022 est.)" }, "note": "note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population" }, "Remittances": { "Remittances 2024": { "text": "3.5% of GDP (2024 est.)" }, "Remittances 2023": { "text": "3.3% of GDP (2023 est.)" }, "Remittances 2022": { "text": "3.3% of GDP (2022 est.)" }, "note": "note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities" }, "Budget": { "revenues": { "text": "$311.824 billion (2022 est.)" }, "expenditures": { "text": "$486.598 billion (2022 est.)" }, "note": "note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated" }, "Public debt": { "Public debt 2018": { "text": "46.5% of GDP (2018 est.)" }, "note": "note: central government debt as a % of GDP" }, "Taxes and other revenues": { "text": "6.7% (of GDP) (2022 est.)", "note": "note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP" }, "Current account balance": { "Current account balance 2024": { "text": "-$32.428 billion (2024 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2023": { "text": "-$31.962 billion (2023 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2022": { "text": "-$79.051 billion (2022 est.)" }, "note": "note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars" }, "Exports": { "Exports 2024": { "text": "$822.046 billion (2024 est.)" }, "Exports 2023": { "text": "$773.177 billion (2023 est.)" }, "Exports 2022": { "text": "$767.643 billion (2022 est.)" }, "note": "note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars" }, "Exports - partners": { "text": "USA 19%, UAE 7%, China 4%, Germany 3%, UK 3% (2023)", "note": "note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports" }, "Exports - commodities": { "text": "refined petroleum, packaged medicine, diamonds, broadcasting equipment, garments (2023)", "note": "note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars" }, "Imports": { "Imports 2024": { "text": "$923.081 billion (2024 est.)" }, "Imports 2023": { "text": "$859.507 billion (2023 est.)" }, "Imports 2022": { "text": "$902.304 billion (2022 est.)" }, "note": "note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars" }, "Imports - partners": { "text": "China 19%, Russia 10%, USA 6%, UAE 6%, Saudi Arabia 5% (2023)", "note": "note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports" }, "Imports - commodities": { "text": "crude petroleum, gold, coal, natural gas, integrated circuits (2023)", "note": "note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold": { "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024": { "text": "$643.043 billion (2024 est.)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023": { "text": "$627.793 billion (2023 est.)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022": { "text": "$567.298 billion (2022 est.)" }, "note": "note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars" }, "Debt - external": { "Debt - external 2023": { "text": "$212.728 billion (2023 est.)" }, "note": "note: present value of external debt in current US dollars" }, "Exchange rates": { "Currency": { "text": "Indian rupees (INR) per US dollar -" }, "Exchange rates 2024": { "text": "83.669 (2024 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2023": { "text": "82.599 (2023 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2022": { "text": "78.604 (2022 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2021": { "text": "73.918 (2021 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2020": { "text": "74.1 (2020 est.)" } } }, "Energy": { "Electricity access": { "electrification - total population": { "text": "99.2% (2022 est.)" }, "electrification - urban areas": { "text": "100%" }, "electrification - rural areas": { "text": "99.3%" } }, "Electricity": { "installed generating capacity": { "text": "499.136 million kW (2023 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "1.5 trillion kWh (2023 est.)" }, "exports": { "text": "9.529 billion kWh (2023 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "7.843 billion kWh (2023 est.)" }, "transmission/distribution losses": { "text": "303.066 billion kWh (2023 est.)" } }, "Electricity generation sources": { "fossil fuels": { "text": "75.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)" }, "nuclear": { "text": "2.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)" }, "solar": { "text": "6.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)" }, "wind": { "text": "5.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)" }, "hydroelectricity": { "text": "8.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)" }, "biomass and waste": { "text": "1.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)" } }, "Nuclear energy": { "Number of operational nuclear reactors": { "text": "20 (2025)" }, "Number of nuclear reactors under construction": { "text": "7 (2025)" }, "Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors": { "text": "6.92GW (2025 est.)" }, "Percent of total electricity production": { "text": "3.1% (2023 est.)" } }, "Coal": { "production": { "text": "1.02 billion metric tons (2023 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "1.262 billion metric tons (2023 est.)" }, "exports": { "text": "1.632 million metric tons (2023 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "243.488 million metric tons (2023 est.)" }, "proven reserves": { "text": "127.727 billion metric tons (2023 est.)" } }, "Petroleum": { "total petroleum production": { "text": "822,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)" }, "refined petroleum consumption": { "text": "5.271 million bbl/day (2023 est.)" }, "crude oil estimated reserves": { "text": "4.605 billion barrels (2021 est.)" } }, "Natural gas": { "production": { "text": "35.168 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "62.196 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)" }, "exports": { "text": "91.921 million cubic meters (2019 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "29.337 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)" }, "proven reserves": { "text": "1.381 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)" } }, "Energy consumption per capita": { "Total energy consumption per capita 2023": { "text": "25.179 million Btu/person (2023 est.)" } } }, "Communications": { "Telephones - fixed lines": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "27.455 million (2022 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "2 (2023 est.)" } }, "Telephones - mobile cellular": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "1.15 billion (2024 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "79 (2024 est.)" } }, "Broadcast media": { "text": "Doordarshan, India's public TV network, has a monopoly on terrestrial broadcasting and operates about 20 national, regional, and local services; a large number of privately owned TV stations are distributed by cable and satellite service providers; cable and satellite TV offer over 850 TV channels; government controls AM radio, with All India Radio operating domestic and external networks; news broadcasts via radio are limited to the All India Radio Network; since 2000, privately owned FM stations have been permitted and have increased rapidly (2020)" }, "Internet country code": { "text": ".in" }, "Internet users": { "percent of population": { "text": "56% (2022 est.)" } }, "Broadband - fixed subscriptions": { "total": { "text": "39.3 million (2023 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "2 (2022 est.)" } } }, "Transportation": { "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": { "text": "VT" }, "Airports": { "text": "315 (2025)" }, "Heliports": { "text": "289 (2025)" }, "Railways": { "total": { "text": "65,554 km (2014)" }, "narrow gauge": { "text": "1,604 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge" }, "broad gauge": { "text": "63,950 km (2014) (39, 329 km electrified)" } }, "Merchant marine": { "total": { "text": "1,859 (2023)" }, "by type": { "text": "bulk carrier 66, container ship 22, general cargo 607, oil tanker 144, other 1020" } }, "Ports": { "total ports": { "text": "56 (2024)" }, "large": { "text": "4" }, "medium": { "text": "4" }, "small": { "text": "13" }, "very small": { "text": "30" }, "size unknown": { "text": "5" }, "ports with oil terminals": { "text": "18" }, "key ports": { "text": "Calcutta, Chennai (Madras), Jawaharlal Nehru Port (Nhava Shiva), Kattupalli Port, Kochi (Cochin), Mumbai (Bombay), New Mangalore, Vishakhapatnam" } } }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { "text": "Indian Armed Forces (IAF): Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard

Ministry of Home Affairs: Central Police Organization, Central Armed Police Forces (includes Assam Rifles, Border Security Force, Central Industrial Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, National Security Guards, Sashastra Seema Bal) (2025)", "note": "note 1: the Border Security Force (BSF) is responsible for the Indo-Pakistan and Indo-Bangladesh borders; the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB or Armed Border Force) guards the Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan borders

note 2: the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) includes a Rapid Reaction Force (RAF) for riot control and the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (COBRA) for counter-insurgency operations 

note 3: the Assam Rifles are under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs, while operational control falls under the Ministry of Defense (specifically the Indian Army)" }, "Military expenditures": { "Military Expenditures 2024": { "text": "2% of GDP (2024 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2023": { "text": "2.3% of GDP (2023 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2022": { "text": "2.1% of GDP (2022 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2021": { "text": "2.2% of GDP (2021 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2020": { "text": "2.5% of GDP (2020 est.)" } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { "text": "information varies; approximately 1.5 million active Indian Armed Forces, including about 1.25 million in the Army (2025)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the military's inventory consists of Russian- and Soviet-origin equipment along with a smaller mix of Western and domestically produced arms; Russia continues to be the leading provider of arms to India, although in recent years India has increased acquisitions from other suppliers, including France, Israel, the UK, and the US; India's defense industry is capable of producing a range of air, land, missile, and naval weapons systems for both domestic use and export; it also produces weapons systems under license (2025)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "ages vary by branch of service and positions, but generally 17-27 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2025)", "note": "note 1: in 2022, the Indian Government began recruiting men aged 17.5-21 annually to serve on 4-year contracts; at the end of their tenure, 25% would be retained for longer terms of service, while the remainder would be forced to leave the military, although some of those leaving would be eligible to serve in the Coast Guard, the Merchant Navy, civilian positions in the Ministry of Defense, and in the paramilitary forces of the Ministry of Home Affairs

note 2: the Indian military accepts citizens of Nepal and Bhutan; descendants of refugees from Tibet who arrived before 1962 and have resided permanently in India; peoples of Indian origin from nations such as Burma, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India; eligible candidates from “friendly foreign nations” may apply to the Armed Forces Medical Services 

note 3: the British began to recruit Nepalese citizens (Gurkhas) into the East India Company Army during the Anglo-Nepalese War (1814-1816), and the Gurkhas subsequently were brought into the British Indian Army; following the partition of India in 1947, an agreement between Nepal, India, and Great Britain allowed for the transfer of the 10 regiments from the British Indian Army to the separate British and Indian armies; six regiments of Gurkhas (aka Gorkhas in India) regiments went to the new Indian Army; a seventh regiment was later added" }, "Military deployments": { "text": "1,100 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 200 Golan Heights (UNDOF); 900 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 2,400 South Sudan (UNMISS); 600 Sudan (UNISFA) (2025)", "note": "note: India has over 6,000 total military and police personnel deployed on UN missions" }, "Military - note": { "text": "the Indian military's primary mission is external/territorial defense while secondary missions include regional power projection, UN peacekeeping deployments, humanitarian operations, and support to internal security forces; it participates in multinational exercises and is one of the world's largest contributors to UN peacekeeping operations

the military's chief external focuses are China and Pakistan; the short 1962 Sino-India War left in place one of the World’s longest disputed international borders--known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC)--resulting in occasional standoffs between Indian and Chinese security forces, including lethal clashes in 1975 and 2020; naval competition and influence in the Indian Ocean is also an area of interest

India has fought four wars and several skirmishes with Pakistan; three of the wars have been over the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir, the status of which has been unsettled since the UK's 1947 withdrawal and the partition and independence of India and Pakistan; a fragile cease-fire in Kashmir was reached in 2003, revised in 2018, and reaffirmed in 2021, although the militarized Line of Control which serves as the border remains contested, and India has accused Pakistan of backing armed separatists and terrorist organizations in Jammu and Kashmir where Indian military and security forces have conducted counterinsurgency operations since the 1980s; in the Spring of 2025, India held Pakistan responsible for a terrorist attack in India-controlled Kashmir and retaliated, sparking a brief cross-border conflict involving aircraft, artillery, drone, and missile strikes

the Kashmir dispute also includes the Siachen Glacier, located in the Karakoram Mountain Range, which was seized by India in 1984 with Pakistan attempting to retake the area several times between 1985 and 1995; despite the 2003 cease-fire, both sides continue to maintain a permanent military presence there with outposts at altitudes above 20,000 feet (over 6,000 meters) where most casualties are due to extreme weather and the hazards of operating in the high mountain terrain of the world’s highest conflict, including avalanches, exposure, and altitude sickness (2025)" } }, "Space": { "Space agency/agencies": { "text": "Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO; originally established in 1962 as the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR); renamed ISRO in 1969); Defense Space Agency (DSA; established 2019) (2025)", "note": "note: the ISRO is subordinate to the Department of Space (DOS; established 1972)" }, "Space launch site(s)": { "text": "Satish Dhawan Space Center (aka Sriharikota Range; located in Andhra Pradesh); Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (Kerala) (2025)" }, "Space program overview": { "text": "has one of the world’s largest space programs; designs, builds, launches, operates, and tracks the full spectrum of satellites, including communications, navigation, remote sensing (RS), and scientific/technology; designs, builds, and launches rockets, space/satellite launch vehicles (SLVs), and lunar/interplanetary probes; launches satellites for foreign partners; researching and developing additional technologies and capabilities; developing astronaut program and human flight capabilities (with assistance from Russia and the US); has space-related agreements with the ESA and more than 50 countries, including China, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, and the US; participates in international projects such as the Square Kilometer Array radio telescope; the Department of Space administers two government-controlled space industry corporations; has a growing private space sector (2025)" }, "Key space-program milestones": { "text": "1963 - first sounding (research) rocket launched

1975 - first domestically made scientific satellite (Aryabhata) launched by Soviet Union

1979 - first experimental remote sensing (RS) satellite (Bhaskara-I) launched by Soviet Union

1980 - first successful launch of satellite (Rohini) on Indian satellite launch vehicle (SLV)

1984 - first Indian in space on a Soviet rocket

1988 - first operational RS satellite (IRS-1A) launched by Soviet Union

1994 - first successful launch of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), India’s premier SLV

2008 - first lunar orbiter/probe (Chandrayaan-1) launched, reached lunar orbit, and sent a probe to the surface of the Moon

2014 - first interplanetary probe (Mangalyaan) reached orbit around Mars

2018 - Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (INRSS) became operational

2019 - launched lunar orbiter/probe (Chandrayaan-2) with lander and rover (lander lost when it crash-landed on Moon’s surface)

2023 - successfully landed uncrewed lander/rover mission (Chandrayaan-3) on Moon's surface

2024 - launched satellite (XPoSat) to study black holes and placed solar observatory spacecraft (Aditya-L1) in orbital position to study the Sun

2025 - first docking of two orbiting satellites and sent its first astronaut to the International Space Station" } }, "Terrorism": { "Terrorist group(s)": { "text": "al-Qa’ida; al-Qa’ida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS); Harakat ul-Mujahidin; Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami (HUJI); Hizbul Mujahideen; Indian Mujahedeen; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) – India (ISI); Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM); Lashkar-e Tayyiba (LeT); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force; The Resistance Front (TRF)", "note": "note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide" } }, "Transnational Issues": { "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees": { "text": "250,006 (2024 est.)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "642,610 (2024 est.)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "23,262 (2024 est.)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { "USG identification": { "text": "
major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country

major precursor-chemical producer (2025)" } } } }