Water Use Efficiency in India
India: Water Use Efficiency was 3.8 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Water Use Efficiency in India, 2000–2023
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for water use efficiency in India is 3.8, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 7.0% on the previous year and up 78.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, water use efficiency in India peaked at 3.8 in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.07, in 2000.
That places India 160th out of 183 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Water Use Efficiency in India, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1.07 | — |
| 2001 | 1.12 | +4.7% |
| 2002 | 1.13 | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 1.2 | +6.2% |
| 2004 | 1.31 | +9.2% |
| 2005 | 1.4 | +6.9% |
| 2006 | 1.49 | +6.4% |
| 2007 | 1.57 | +5.4% |
| 2008 | 1.63 | +3.8% |
| 2009 | 1.72 | +5.5% |
| 2010 | 1.81 | +5.2% |
| 2011 | 1.91 | +5.5% |
| 2012 | 2.01 | +5.2% |
| 2013 | 2.13 | +6.0% |
| 2014 | 2.3 | +8.0% |
| 2015 | 2.46 | +7.0% |
| 2016 | 2.65 | +7.7% |
| 2017 | 2.83 | +6.8% |
| 2018 | 3.03 | +7.1% |
| 2019 | 3.18 | +5.0% |
| 2020 | 3.02 | -5.0% |
| 2021 | 3.32 | +9.9% |
| 2022 | 3.55 | +6.9% |
| 2023 | 3.8 | +7.0% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 3.8 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 9.59, 40% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
- India's 3.8 is below the median for South Asia, which is 6.05, 63% of the median. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1.36 | 1.07 | 1.72 | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.43 | 1.81 | 3.18 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.42 | 3.02 | 3.8 | 4 |
Countries ranked near India
- 157 Guinea-Bissau 4.04 compare
- 158 Azerbaijan 3.93 compare
- 159 Eswatini 3.89 compare
- 161 Eritrea 3.6 compare
- 162 North Macedonia 3.28 compare
- 163 Turkmenistan 3.07 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)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 17.18 % change on previous year (2024)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is water use efficiency in India?
- Water use efficiency in India was 3.8 in 2023, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest water use efficiency recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 3.8 in 2023.
- What is the lowest water use efficiency recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.07 in 2000.
- How does India rank for water use efficiency?
- India ranks 160th out of 183 countries with data for 2023.
- Is water use efficiency rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 78.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Water Use Efficiency (United States dollars per cubic meter). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).