Water productivity, GDP per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal in India
India: Water productivity, GDP per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal was 4.62 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
4.62 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal
Change on year
up 7.6%
World rank
155th
of 179 countries
All-time high
4.62 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal
in 2022
All-time low
0.5949 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal
in 1979
Years of data
48
1975–2022
Water productivity, GDP per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal in India, 1975–2022
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization (AQUASTAT), World Bank, and OECD (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal.
Analysis
In 2022, water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal in India stood at 4.62 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal. That is the highest value across all 48 years on record.
The figure is up 7.6% on the previous year and up 75.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal in India peaked at 4.62 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0.5949 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal, in 1979.
That places India 155th out of 179 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Water productivity, GDP per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal in India, year by year
| Year | constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 0.6116 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | — |
| 1976 | 0.6032 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | -1.4% |
| 1977 | 0.6283 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +4.2% |
| 1978 | 0.6455 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +2.7% |
| 1979 | 0.5949 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | -7.8% |
| 1980 | 0.6181 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +3.9% |
| 1981 | 0.6382 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +3.3% |
| 1982 | 0.6437 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 0.6736 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +4.6% |
| 1984 | 0.6825 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +1.3% |
| 1985 | 0.7015 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +2.8% |
| 1986 | 0.734 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +4.6% |
| 1987 | 0.7621 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +3.8% |
| 1988 | 0.8344 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +9.5% |
| 1989 | 0.8829 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +5.8% |
| 1990 | 0.9305 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +5.4% |
| 1991 | 0.92 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | -1.1% |
| 1992 | 0.9499 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +3.3% |
| 1993 | 0.9744 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +2.6% |
| 1994 | 1.02 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +4.5% |
| 1995 | 1.07 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +5.4% |
| 1996 | 1.13 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +5.5% |
| 1997 | 1.16 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +2.1% |
| 1998 | 1.2 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +4.2% |
| 1999 | 1.29 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +6.8% |
| 2000 | 1.31 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 1.34 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 1.36 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 1.43 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +5.4% |
| 2004 | 1.62 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +13.2% |
| 2005 | 1.74 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +7.3% |
| 2006 | 1.87 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +7.4% |
| 2007 | 2 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +7.0% |
| 2008 | 2.05 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 2.2 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +7.2% |
| 2010 | 2.37 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +7.9% |
| 2011 | 2.5 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +5.2% |
| 2012 | 2.63 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +5.5% |
| 2013 | 2.8 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +6.4% |
| 2014 | 3.01 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +7.4% |
| 2015 | 3.25 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +8.0% |
| 2016 | 3.52 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +8.3% |
| 2017 | 3.76 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +6.8% |
| 2018 | 4 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +6.5% |
| 2019 | 4.15 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +3.9% |
| 2020 | 3.91 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | -5.8% |
| 2021 | 4.29 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +9.7% |
| 2022 | 4.62 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +7.6% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 4.62 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 12.73 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal, 36% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
- India's 4.62 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal is below the median for South Asia, which is 7.33 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal, 63% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.6167 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 0.5949 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 0.6455 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 5 |
| 1980s | 0.7171 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 0.6181 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 0.8829 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.06 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 0.92 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 1.29 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.69 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 1.31 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 2.2 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.2 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 2.37 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 4.15 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.27 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 3.91 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 4.62 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 3 |
Countries ranked near India
- 152 Iran 5.26 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal compare
- 153 Indonesia 5.04 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal compare
- 154 Armenia 4.63 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal compare
- 156 Iraq 4.58 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal compare
- 157 Zimbabwe 4.48 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal compare
- 158 Philippines 4.48 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal compare
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 water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal in India?
- Water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal in India was 4.62 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal in 2022, according to Food and Agriculture Organization (AQUASTAT), World Bank, and OECD (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 4.62 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal in 2022.
- What is the lowest water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5949 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal in 1979.
- How does India rank for water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal?
- India ranks 155th out of 179 countries with data for 2022.
- Is water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 75.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization (AQUASTAT), World Bank, and OECD (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Water productivity, GDP per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Water productivity is calculated as total gross domestic product (GDP), measured in constant 2015 US$ divided by annual total water withdrawal.