Labor force participation rate, aged 15-64, total in India

India: Labor force participation rate, aged 15-64, total was 0.5% in 2019. ▼ Falling

Latest (2019)
0.5%
Change on year
up 5.4%
World rank
105th
of 111 countries
All-time high
0.6%
in 2004
All-time low
0.5%
in 2017
Years of data
12
1983–2019

Labor force participation rate, aged 15-64, total in India, 1983–2019

00.20.40.61983200120191983: 0.601 % of total labor force in working age1987: 0.596 % of total labor force in working age1993: 0.623 % of total labor force in working age1999: 0.607 % of total labor force in working age2004: 0.625 % of total labor force in working age2005: 0.605 % of total labor force in working age2007: 0.587 % of total labor force in working age2009: 0.567 % of total labor force in working age2011: 0.554 % of total labor force in working age2017: 0.503 % of total labor force in working age2018: 0.505 % of total labor force in working age2019: 0.533 % of total labor force in working age

Source: World Bank. Measured in % of total labor force in working age.

Analysis

In 2019, labor force participation rate, aged 15-64, total in India stood at 0.5%.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.4% on the previous year and down 6.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, aged 15-64, total in India peaked at 0.6% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 0.5%, in 2017.

India ranks 105th of 111 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 12 years of available data.

Labor force participation rate, aged 15-64, total in India, year by year

Annual values for Labor force participation rate, aged 15-64, total (% of total labor force in working age) in India, 1983 to 2019.
Year % of total labor force in working age Change
1983 0.6%
1987 0.6% -0.8%
1993 0.6% +4.5%
1999 0.6% -2.5%
2004 0.6% +2.9%
2005 0.6% -3.2%
2007 0.6% -2.9%
2009 0.6% -3.3%
2011 0.6% -2.4%
2017 0.5% -9.2%
2018 0.5% +0.5%
2019 0.5% +5.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 0.6% 0.6% 0.6% 2
1990s 0.6% 0.6% 0.6% 2
2000s 0.6% 0.6% 0.6% 4
2010s 0.5% 0.5% 0.6% 4

Countries ranked near India

  1. 102 South Africa 0.5% compare
  2. 103 Pakistan 0.5% compare
  3. 104 Tunisia 0.5% compare
  4. 106 Gambia 0.5% compare
  5. 107 Tajikistan 0.5% compare
  6. 108 Egypt 0.4% compare

See the full ranking of 111 places →

More reference data data for India

All data for India →

Frequently asked questions

What is labor force participation rate, aged 15-64, total in India?
Labor force participation rate, aged 15-64, total in India was 0.5% in 2019, according to the World Bank.
What is the highest labor force participation rate, aged 15-64, total recorded in India?
The highest recorded value was 0.6% in 2004.
What is the lowest labor force participation rate, aged 15-64, total recorded in India?
The lowest recorded value was 0.5% in 2017.
How does India rank for labor force participation rate, aged 15-64, total?
India ranks 105th out of 111 countries with data for 2019.
Is labor force participation rate, aged 15-64, total rising or falling in India?
Over the last ten years it is down 6.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this India data come from?
The figures come from the World Bank, published as part of Labor force participation rate, aged 15-64, total (% of total labor force in working age). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Labor force participation rate, aged 15-64, total in India. Statizoid. Retrieved 27 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/labor-force-participation-rate-aged-15-64-total-percent-of-total-labor-force-in-working/india/

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About this data

Indicator
Labor force participation rate, aged 15-64, total (% of total labor force in working age)
Unit
% of total labor force in working age
Source
World Bank
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
111 places, 1,633 data points, 1970–2021
Last refreshed