Annual freshwater withdrawals in India
India: Annual freshwater withdrawals was 647.50 billion billion cubic meters in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
647.50 billion billion cubic meters
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
1st
of 181 countries
All-time high
655.58 billion billion cubic meters
in 2003
All-time low
380.00 billion billion cubic meters
in 1975
Years of data
48
1975–2022
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.
Annual freshwater withdrawals in India, year by year
| Year | billion cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 380.00 billion billion cubic meters | — |
| 1976 | 391.67 billion billion cubic meters | +3.1% |
| 1977 | 403.34 billion billion cubic meters | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 415.01 billion billion cubic meters | +2.9% |
| 1979 | 426.68 billion billion cubic meters | +2.8% |
| 1980 | 438.35 billion billion cubic meters | +2.7% |
| 1981 | 450.02 billion billion cubic meters | +2.7% |
| 1982 | 461.69 billion billion cubic meters | +2.6% |
| 1983 | 473.36 billion billion cubic meters | +2.5% |
| 1984 | 485.03 billion billion cubic meters | +2.5% |
| 1985 | 496.70 billion billion cubic meters | +2.4% |
| 1986 | 497.36 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 498.02 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 498.68 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 499.34 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1990 | 500.00 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 511.04 billion billion cubic meters | +2.2% |
| 1992 | 522.08 billion billion cubic meters | +2.2% |
| 1993 | 533.12 billion billion cubic meters | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 544.16 billion billion cubic meters | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 555.20 billion billion cubic meters | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 566.24 billion billion cubic meters | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 577.28 billion billion cubic meters | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 588.32 billion billion cubic meters | +1.9% |
| 1999 | 599.36 billion billion cubic meters | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 610.40 billion billion cubic meters | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 625.46 billion billion cubic meters | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 640.52 billion billion cubic meters | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 655.58 billion billion cubic meters | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 625.24 billion billion cubic meters | -4.6% |
| 2005 | 628.95 billion billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 632.66 billion billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 636.37 billion billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 640.08 billion billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 643.79 billion billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 647.50 billion billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 647.50 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 647.50 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 647.50 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 647.50 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 647.50 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 647.50 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 647.50 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 647.50 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 647.50 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 647.50 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 647.50 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 647.50 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 647.50 billion billion cubic meters is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.51 billion billion cubic meters, 428.5× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- India's 647.50 billion billion cubic meters is above the median for South Asia, which is 11.22 billion billion cubic meters, 57.7× the median. (6 countries reporting)
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
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 11.05 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 12.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.254 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 0.954 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.92 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 1.12 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (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
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About this data
Annual freshwater withdrawals refer to total water withdrawals, not counting evaporation losses from storage basins, measured in cubic meters (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.