India — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for India, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for India was 55.66% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 60.08% in 2000. The lowest was 51.55% in 2020 (about 1.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.11% per year.
India ranks 136 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 73%. The median for South Asia is 58.80%, so India sits below it. It peaked in 2000 and has fallen 7% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 5%. Within South Asia it ranks 4 of 6 economies; Sri Lanka (48.52%) is just below it. That is 4% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 122nd of 187 in 1990 → 103rd of 187 in 2000 → 140th of 187 in 2010 → 149th of 187 in 2020 → 135th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 55.66% | +0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 55.64% | +0.9 pp |
| 2023 | 54.7% | +1.1 pp |
| 2022 | 53.59% | +1.1 pp |
| 2021 | 52.52% | +1.0 pp |
| 2020 | 51.55% | -0.7 pp |
| 2019 | 52.28% | -0.2 pp |
| 2018 | 52.48% | -0.2 pp |
| 2017 | 52.67% | -0.2 pp |
| 2016 | 52.85% | -0.2 pp |
| 2015 | 53.03% | -0.2 pp |
| 2014 | 53.21% | -0.2 pp |
| 2013 | 53.36% | -0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 53.51% | -0.6 pp |
| 2011 | 54.13% | -0.6 pp |
| 2010 | 54.77% | -0.9 pp |
| 2009 | 55.63% | -0.9 pp |
| 2008 | 56.51% | -0.9 pp |
| 2007 | 57.42% | -0.9 pp |
| 2006 | 58.35% | -0.9 pp |
| 2005 | 59.29% | -0.2 pp |
| 2004 | 59.45% | -0.2 pp |
| 2003 | 59.61% | -0.2 pp |
| 2002 | 59.77% | -0.2 pp |
| 2001 | 59.92% | -0.2 pp |
| 2000 | 60.08% | +0.3 pp |
| 1999 | 59.74% | +0.3 pp |
| 1998 | 59.4% | +0.3 pp |
| 1997 | 59.07% | +0.3 pp |
| 1996 | 58.73% | +0.3 pp |
| 1995 | 58.4% | +0.3 pp |
| 1994 | 58.06% | +0.0 pp |
| 1993 | 58.03% | +0.0 pp |
| 1992 | 58% | +0.0 pp |
| 1991 | 57.97% | +0.0 pp |
| 1990 | 57.94% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was India’s Labor participation in 1991?
57.97% (1991). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of population ages 15+, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is India’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -3.9% in total — about 0.1% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.TLF.CACT.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 55.66%; 2024: 55.64%; 2023: 54.7%; 2022: 53.59%; 2021: 52.52%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.TLF.CACT.ZS — Labor Force Participation Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.