Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in India
India: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates was 4.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in India, 1994–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in India is 4.5%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 8.0% on the previous year and up 39.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in India peaked at 7.9% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 2.1%, in 1994.
That places India 111th out of 185 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in India, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 2.1% | — |
| 2000 | 2.7% | +27.2% |
| 2005 | 3.8% | +39.3% |
| 2010 | 3.1% | -18.1% |
| 2012 | 3.2% | +3.4% |
| 2018 | 7.7% | +137.5% |
| 2019 | 6.5% | -14.9% |
| 2020 | 7.9% | +20.7% |
| 2021 | 6.4% | -18.8% |
| 2022 | 4.8% | -24.4% |
| 2023 | 4.2% | -13.5% |
| 2024 | 4.2% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 4.5% | +8.0% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 4.5% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5.0%, 90% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
- India's 4.5% is above the median for South Asia, which is 4.4%, 1.0× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 1 |
| 2000s | 3.3% | 2.7% | 3.8% | 2 |
| 2010s | 5.1% | 3.1% | 7.7% | 4 |
| 2020s | 5.3% | 4.2% | 7.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near India
More reference data data for India
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 20.88 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 68.88 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 246.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 15.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 246.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 70.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 19.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 309.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,063 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 85.03 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in India?
- Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in India was 4.5% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 7.9% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.1% in 1994.
- How does India rank for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
- India ranks 111th out of 185 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 39.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 13 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon. Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.