Subsidies and other transfers (% of expense) in India
India: Subsidies and other transfers (% of expense) was 42.5% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Subsidies and other transfers in India, 1990–2022
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of expense.
Analysis
The most recent figure for subsidies and other transfers in India is 42.5%, measured in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 9.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, subsidies and other transfers in India peaked at 44.6% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 25.5%, in 2004.
India ranks 63rd of 152 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 27 years of available data.
Subsidies and other transfers (% of expense) in India, year by year
| Year | % of expense | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 31.7% | — |
| 1991 | 33.0% | +4.0% |
| 1992 | 33.9% | +2.6% |
| 1993 | 34.1% | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 33.3% | -2.3% |
| 1995 | 33.2% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 32.8% | -1.1% |
| 1997 | 32.3% | -1.6% |
| 1998 | 27.4% | -15.3% |
| 2002 | 42.6% | +55.6% |
| 2003 | 26.9% | -36.8% |
| 2004 | 25.5% | -5.4% |
| 2005 | 28.0% | +9.9% |
| 2006 | 31.3% | +11.5% |
| 2007 | 36.9% | +18.0% |
| 2008 | 32.3% | -12.5% |
| 2009 | 34.3% | +6.1% |
| 2010 | 37.0% | +8.0% |
| 2011 | 37.3% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 38.8% | +4.2% |
| 2013 | 40.5% | +4.4% |
| 2014 | 37.7% | -6.9% |
| 2015 | 40.7% | +7.8% |
| 2016 | 42.7% | +4.8% |
| 2017 | 44.1% | +3.3% |
| 2018 | 44.6% | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 42.5% | -4.8% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 42.5% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 33.6%, 1.3× the median. (36 countries reporting)
- India's 42.5% is above the median for South Asia, which is 31.4%, 1.4× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Subsidies and other transfers (% of expense) in India changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | +55.6% | 27.4% | 42.6% |
| 2003 | -36.8% | 42.6% | 26.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 32.4% | 27.4% | 34.1% | 9 |
| 2000s | 32.2% | 25.5% | 42.6% | 8 |
| 2010s | 40.4% | 37.0% | 44.6% | 9 |
| 2020s | 42.5% | 42.5% | 42.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near India
More public sector data for India
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 2.86 billion SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.805 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0003 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -21.66 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is subsidies and other transfers in India?
- Subsidies and other transfers in India was 42.5% in 2022, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest subsidies and other transfers recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 44.6% in 2018.
- What is the lowest subsidies and other transfers recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.5% in 2004.
- How does India rank for subsidies and other transfers?
- India ranks 63rd out of 152 countries with data for 2022.
- Is subsidies and other transfers rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Subsidies and other transfers (% of expense). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Subsidies are current unrequited payments that government units, including nonresident government units, make to enterprises on the basis of the levels of their production activities or the quantities or values of the goods or services that they produce, sell, export or import. This indicator is expressed as percentage of total expenses which is any decrease in net worth resulting from a transaction.