Annual freshwater withdrawals in India
India: Annual freshwater withdrawals was 647.50 billion billion cubic meters in 2022. ▲ Rising
Annual freshwater withdrawals in India, 1975–2022
Source: AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in billion cubic meters.
Analysis
In 2022, annual freshwater withdrawals in India stood at 647.50 billion billion cubic meters.
That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals in India peaked at 655.58 billion billion cubic meters in 2003 and was at its lowest, 380.00 billion billion cubic meters, in 1975.
That places India 1st out of 181 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 48 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 403.34 billion billion cubic meters | 380.00 billion billion cubic meters | 426.68 billion billion cubic meters | 5 |
| 1980s | 479.86 billion billion cubic meters | 438.35 billion billion cubic meters | 499.34 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 549.68 billion billion cubic meters | 500.00 billion billion cubic meters | 599.36 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 633.90 billion billion cubic meters | 610.40 billion billion cubic meters | 655.58 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 647.50 billion billion cubic meters | 647.50 billion billion cubic meters | 647.50 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 647.50 billion billion cubic meters | 647.50 billion billion cubic meters | 647.50 billion billion cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near India
More environment data for India
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 4,371 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 3.01 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 572.27 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 37.74 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 108.11 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 4.39 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 861.61 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 1.01 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 2.4 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 135.23 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual freshwater withdrawals in India?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals in India was 647.50 billion billion cubic meters in 2022, according to AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual freshwater withdrawals recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 655.58 billion billion cubic meters in 2003.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 380.00 billion billion cubic meters in 1975.
- How does India rank for annual freshwater withdrawals?
- India ranks 1st out of 181 countries with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual freshwater withdrawals. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 48 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual freshwater withdrawals refer to total water withdrawals, not counting evaporation losses from storage basins, measured in cubic metres (m³) per year. Total water withdrawals are the sum of withdrawals for agriculture, industry and municipal (domestic uses). Withdrawals also include water from desalination plants in countries where they are a significant source.