Water withdrawals per capita in India
India: Water withdrawals per capita was 529.18 cubic meters per person in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
529.18 cubic meters per person
Change on year
down 0.9%
World rank
55th
of 180 countries
All-time high
642.85 cubic meters per person
in 1985
All-time low
529.18 cubic meters per person
in 2023
Years of data
49
1975–2023
Water withdrawals per capita in India, 1975–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in cubic meters per person.
Analysis
In 2023, water withdrawals per capita in India stood at 529.18 cubic meters per person. That is the lowest value across all 49 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.9% on the previous year and down 9.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, water withdrawals per capita in India peaked at 642.85 cubic meters per person in 1985 and was at its lowest, 529.18 cubic meters per person, in 2023.
India ranks 55th of 180 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 49 years of available data.
Water withdrawals per capita in India, year by year
| Year | cubic meters per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 621.62 cubic meters per person | — |
| 1976 | 625.81 cubic meters per person | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 629.43 cubic meters per person | +0.6% |
| 1978 | 632.9 cubic meters per person | +0.6% |
| 1979 | 635.74 cubic meters per person | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 637.74 cubic meters per person | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 639.51 cubic meters per person | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 640.96 cubic meters per person | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 641.96 cubic meters per person | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 642.53 cubic meters per person | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 642.85 cubic meters per person | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 629.02 cubic meters per person | -2.2% |
| 1987 | 615.65 cubic meters per person | -2.1% |
| 1988 | 602.75 cubic meters per person | -2.1% |
| 1989 | 590.21 cubic meters per person | -2.1% |
| 1990 | 578.05 cubic meters per person | -2.1% |
| 1991 | 578.15 cubic meters per person | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 578.19 cubic meters per person | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 578.15 cubic meters per person | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 578.18 cubic meters per person | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 578.15 cubic meters per person | -0.0% |
| 1996 | 577.99 cubic meters per person | -0.0% |
| 1997 | 577.78 cubic meters per person | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 577.54 cubic meters per person | -0.0% |
| 1999 | 577.29 cubic meters per person | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 576.98 cubic meters per person | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 580.26 cubic meters per person | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 583.56 cubic meters per person | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 587.01 cubic meters per person | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 590.36 cubic meters per person | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 593.85 cubic meters per person | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 597.47 cubic meters per person | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 601.19 cubic meters per person | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 605.07 cubic meters per person | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 608.67 cubic meters per person | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 611.99 cubic meters per person | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 603.38 cubic meters per person | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 595.15 cubic meters per person | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 587.27 cubic meters per person | -1.3% |
| 2014 | 579.91 cubic meters per person | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 573.03 cubic meters per person | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 566.24 cubic meters per person | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 559.7 cubic meters per person | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 553.59 cubic meters per person | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 547.86 cubic meters per person | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 542.56 cubic meters per person | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 538.11 cubic meters per person | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 533.88 cubic meters per person | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 529.18 cubic meters per person | -0.9% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 529.18 cubic meters per person is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 178.62 cubic meters per person, 3.0× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- India's 529.18 cubic meters per person is above the median for South Asia, which is 374.82 cubic meters per person, 1.4× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 629.1 cubic meters per person | 621.62 cubic meters per person | 635.74 cubic meters per person | 5 |
| 1980s | 628.32 cubic meters per person | 590.21 cubic meters per person | 642.85 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 577.95 cubic meters per person | 577.29 cubic meters per person | 578.19 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 592.44 cubic meters per person | 576.98 cubic meters per person | 608.67 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 577.81 cubic meters per person | 547.86 cubic meters per person | 611.99 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 535.93 cubic meters per person | 529.18 cubic meters per person | 542.56 cubic meters per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near India
- 52 Sri Lanka 563.57 cubic meters per person compare
- 53 Ecuador 551.61 cubic meters per person compare
- 54 Sudan 538.24 cubic meters per person compare
- 56 South Korea 523.34 cubic meters per person compare
- 57 Cape Verde 506.82 cubic meters per person compare
- 58 Finland 499.73 cubic meters per person 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 withdrawals per capita in India?
- Water withdrawals per capita in India was 529.18 cubic meters per person in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest water withdrawals per capita recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 642.85 cubic meters per person in 1985.
- What is the lowest water withdrawals per capita recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 529.18 cubic meters per person in 2023.
- How does India rank for water withdrawals per capita?
- India ranks 55th out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is water withdrawals per capita rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Water withdrawals per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Water withdrawn each year for agriculture, industry, and municipal uses, divided by the population.