India Research Data · compiled by ARS
India in numbers: the facts behind every market decision.
Key statistics on India’s people, economy, consumers, jobs, digital life and mobility — taken from official Indian and international sources, with the source and date next to every figure.
Last updated: 26 September 2026People & economy
| Indicator | India | What it means | Source & date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | ~1.45 billion (2024) | Most populous country in the world | UN World Population Prospects 2024 |
| Median age | ~28 years | One of the youngest large populations; a large working-age consumer base | UN World Population Prospects 2024 |
| Urban population | ~36% (2023) | Urbanising fast, but most Indians still live in rural areas | World Bank, World Development Indicators |
| Real GDP growth | 7.7% (FY 2025-26) | Up from 7.1% in FY 2024-25; among the fastest-growing major economies | MoSPI Provisional Estimates, June 2026 (new base year 2022-23) |
| Size of economy (nominal GDP) | ~US$3.9 trillion (2024) | Among the world’s five largest economies | IMF World Economic Outlook |
| GDP per person | ~US$2,700 (2024) | Lower-middle-income economy — large headroom for consumption growth | IMF World Economic Outlook; World Bank income groups |
Consumers & households
| Indicator | India | What it means | Source & date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average monthly spend per person – rural | ₹4,122 (2023-24) | Up 9.3% from ₹3,773 in 2022-23; rural spending is growing faster than urban | MoSPI, Household Consumption Expenditure Survey 2023-24 |
| Average monthly spend per person – urban | ₹6,996 (2023-24) | Up 8.3% from ₹6,459 in 2022-23 | MoSPI, HCES 2023-24 |
| Urban–rural spending gap | ~70% (2023-24) | Down from 84% in 2011-12 — the rural market is catching up | MoSPI, HCES 2023-24 |
| Share of spending on food | 47% rural, 40% urban | Most household spending now goes to non-food items such as transport, clothing, health and durables | MoSPI, HCES 2023-24 |
| Consumption inequality (Gini) | 0.237 rural, 0.284 urban | Declined in almost all 18 major states from 2022-23 | MoSPI, HCES 2023-24 |
Related: Consumer research · FMCG & food research · Tamil Nadu Dairy Market Report 2026
Jobs & workforce
| Indicator | India | What it means | Source & date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate (15+ years) | 5.5% (June 2026) | Rural 5.0%, urban 6.6%; urban rate down from 7.1% a year earlier | MoSPI, PLFS Monthly Bulletin, June 2026 |
| Labour force participation (15+ years) | 54.4% (June 2026) | Rural 56.6%, urban 50.1% | MoSPI, PLFS Monthly Bulletin, June 2026 |
| Female labour force participation | 32.7% (June 2026) | Up 0.7 points in a year, but still one of India’s biggest untapped opportunities | MoSPI, PLFS Monthly Bulletin, June 2026 |
Related: Social development & CSR research · Tamil Nadu Welfare Schemes Report 2026
Digital India
| Indicator | India | What it means | Source & date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet subscribers | 1,092.8 million (Mar 2026) | Up 6.2% in one quarter; 1,065.9 million are broadband | TRAI, Performance Indicators Jan–Mar 2026 |
| Tele-density | 93.3% (Mar 2026) | Urban 151.5%, rural only 60.5% — a large rural gap remains | TRAI, Jan–Mar 2026 |
| Mobile data use | 26.7 GB per user per month | Among the highest in the world; average wireless revenue per user ₹196 a month | TRAI, Jan–Mar 2026 |
| UPI transactions | 24,162 crore (FY 2025-26) | Worth about ₹314 lakh crore; 703 banks live on UPI | Ministry of Finance, UPI 10-year release (NPCI data) |
| UPI’s global position | ~49% of global real-time payments | World’s largest real-time payment system by volume | IMF, as cited by the Ministry of Finance, 2026 |
| Recognised start-ups | 1.5 lakh+ | One of the three largest start-up ecosystems | DPIIT, Startup India |
Related: Telecom, IT & technology research · Research for start-ups & MSMEs
Mobility & electric vehicles
| Indicator | India | What it means | Source & date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total vehicle registrations | 30.84 million (FY 2025-26) | One of the world’s largest vehicle markets | IESA India’s Mobility Report FY2025-26 (Vahan data) |
| Electric vehicle sales | ~25.5 lakh (FY 2025-26) | About 8.5% of all registrations, up around 25% in a year | EVreporter and JMK Research analysis of Vahan data, 2026 |
| Electric two-wheelers | ~14.7 lakh units | Nearly 58% of all EV sales — India electrifies on two and three wheels first | EVreporter; JMK Research, FY 2025-26 |
| Electric car share | ~4.5% of car sales | 2.19 lakh electric cars sold out of 48.4 lakh; Telangana, Delhi and Kerala lead adoption | EVreporter analysis of Vahan data, FY 2025-26 |
| Logistics Performance Index | 38th of 139 (2023) | Improved sharply from 44th in 2018 | World Bank LPI 2023 |
Related: Automobile & mobility research · Ola Mobility Institute case study
Development, innovation & sectors
| Indicator | India | What it means | Source & date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global Innovation Index | 38th of 139 (2025) | No. 1 among lower-middle-income economies | WIPO Global Innovation Index 2025 |
| Innovation clusters | 4 in global top 100 | Bengaluru 21st, Delhi 26th, Mumbai 46th, Chennai 84th | WIPO Global Innovation Index 2025 |
| Human Development Index | 130th of 193 | Medium human development; improving | UNDP Human Development Report 2025 |
| Global Gender Gap Index | 131st of 148 (2025) | Large gaps remain in economic participation | World Economic Forum |
| Milk production | ~239 million tonnes (2023-24) | World’s largest milk producer | Dept. of Animal Husbandry & Dairying; FAO |
| Tamil Nadu manufacturing | Highest number of factories | No. 1 state by number of factories | Annual Survey of Industries, MoSPI |
Related: Manufacturing & industrial research · India research for international clients
Using these figures? Please cite ARS
You are welcome to use this data in reports, theses, articles and presentations. Please credit the original source shown in each row, and link to this page:
ARS Market Research Services (2026). India Research Data – Key Facts & Statistics. Chennai: ARS. https://arsmrs.in/india-facts/ (accessed [date]).Journalists and researchers who need a figure explained, or data for a specific state, city or sector, can write to admin@arsmrs.in.
Figures are rounded and taken from the latest editions published by September 2026. EV figures are industry analyses of the government’s Vahan registration data, and totals vary slightly between analysts. Always check the original source before quoting a number in a report or thesis.
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