Transport services (% of commercial service imports) in India
India: Transport services (% of commercial service imports) was 16.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Transport services in India, 1975–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of commercial service imports.
Analysis
In 2025, transport services in India stood at 16.9%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.3% on the previous year and down 10.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, transport services in India peaked at 72.2% in 1975 and was at its lowest, 14.8%, in 2016.
India ranks 168th of 197 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.
Transport services (% of commercial service imports) in India, year by year
| Year | % of commercial service imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 72.2% | — |
| 1976 | 65.0% | -10.1% |
| 1977 | 64.4% | -0.8% |
| 1978 | 66.8% | +3.7% |
| 1979 | 63.9% | -4.4% |
| 1980 | 61.3% | -3.9% |
| 1981 | 61.1% | -0.4% |
| 1982 | 61.8% | +1.1% |
| 1983 | 57.6% | -6.7% |
| 1984 | 59.4% | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 58.3% | -1.8% |
| 1986 | 56.4% | -3.2% |
| 1987 | 56.2% | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 58.6% | +4.2% |
| 1989 | 57.5% | -1.9% |
| 1990 | 57.5% | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 55.9% | -2.8% |
| 1992 | 60.6% | +8.3% |
| 1993 | 62.6% | +3.3% |
| 1994 | 56.8% | -9.2% |
| 1995 | 56.7% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 58.6% | +3.4% |
| 1997 | 55.5% | -5.3% |
| 1998 | 50.0% | -9.9% |
| 1999 | 40.9% | -18.1% |
| 2000 | 46.3% | +13.1% |
| 2001 | 43.6% | -5.9% |
| 2002 | 43.4% | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 39.0% | -10.3% |
| 2004 | 38.5% | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 44.7% | +16.1% |
| 2006 | 43.3% | -3.1% |
| 2007 | 44.8% | +3.4% |
| 2008 | 25.8% | -42.3% |
| 2009 | 21.2% | -18.0% |
| 2010 | 18.3% | -13.8% |
| 2011 | 20.0% | +9.4% |
| 2012 | 19.8% | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 18.0% | -9.0% |
| 2014 | 20.4% | +13.3% |
| 2015 | 18.9% | -7.7% |
| 2016 | 14.8% | -21.5% |
| 2017 | 15.0% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 16.3% | +8.2% |
| 2019 | 18.5% | +13.7% |
| 2020 | 17.3% | -6.6% |
| 2021 | 22.2% | +28.6% |
| 2022 | 24.8% | +11.3% |
| 2023 | 16.6% | -32.7% |
| 2024 | 17.6% | +6.0% |
| 2025 | 16.9% | -4.3% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 16.9% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 40.9%, 41% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- India's 16.9% is below the median for South Asia, which is 25.6%, 66% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 66.4% | 63.9% | 72.2% | 5 |
| 1980s | 58.8% | 56.2% | 61.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 55.5% | 40.9% | 62.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 39.1% | 21.2% | 46.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.0% | 14.8% | 20.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.2% | 16.6% | 24.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near India
More private sector data for India
- Merchandise trade 30.3% (2025)
- Food imports 5.0% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 49.6% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 753.48 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 201.38 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 11.9% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 70.1% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 445.28 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 411.63 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 304.18 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is transport services in India?
- Transport services in India was 16.9% in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest transport services recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 72.2% in 1975.
- What is the lowest transport services recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.8% in 2016.
- How does India rank for transport services?
- India ranks 168th out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is transport services rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Transport services (% of commercial service imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Transport is the process of carriage of people and objects from one location to another as well as related supporting and auxiliary services. Also included are postal and courier services. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of service imports which are commercial services provided by non-residents to residents.