Data For India
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Despite being significant in number, debit and credit cards currently make up just 3% of all the money spent on major retail payments every month. How do other digital payments modes fare in India? Read Abhishek Waghmare’s piece to find out: www.dataforindia.com/retail-payme...
Retail payments in India
Over the last two decades, India has seen a decline in the use of traditional modes of payments, like cash and cheques, and an explosion in the use of digital modes of payments. However, inequities in...
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November 18, 2025 at 3:30 AM
Despite being significant in number, debit and credit cards currently make up just 3% of all the money spent on major retail payments every month. How do other digital payments modes fare in India? Read Abhishek Waghmare’s piece to find out: www.dataforindia.com/retail-payme...
However, their growth has plateaued in recent years. The number of credit cards is far lower at 100 million, but has been growing since the mid-2010s, doubling every five years.
November 18, 2025 at 3:30 AM
However, their growth has plateaued in recent years. The number of credit cards is far lower at 100 million, but has been growing since the mid-2010s, doubling every five years.
Despite being introduced much earlier than NEFT and UPI, debit and credit cards have grown more slowly.
Registered debit cards grew in number in the first two decades of the 21st century, and there are now nearly one billion debit cards in India, according to RBI statistics.
Registered debit cards grew in number in the first two decades of the 21st century, and there are now nearly one billion debit cards in India, according to RBI statistics.
November 18, 2025 at 3:30 AM
Despite being introduced much earlier than NEFT and UPI, debit and credit cards have grown more slowly.
Registered debit cards grew in number in the first two decades of the 21st century, and there are now nearly one billion debit cards in India, according to RBI statistics.
Registered debit cards grew in number in the first two decades of the 21st century, and there are now nearly one billion debit cards in India, according to RBI statistics.
However, digital retail payments, including NEFT, the Immediate Payments Service (IMPS), credit and debit cards, and Unified Payments Interface (UPI), now account for 90% of all the money spent on major retail payments according to statistics maintained by the Reserve Bank of India.
November 18, 2025 at 3:30 AM
However, digital retail payments, including NEFT, the Immediate Payments Service (IMPS), credit and debit cards, and Unified Payments Interface (UPI), now account for 90% of all the money spent on major retail payments according to statistics maintained by the Reserve Bank of India.
Similar to goods imports, machinery and electronic goods including fully assembled smartphones, machine parts, and engines are a big part of India's exports.
How has India’s goods trade evolved over time? Read Abhishek Waghmare’s piece to find out: www.dataforindia.com/trade/?utm_s...
How has India’s goods trade evolved over time? Read Abhishek Waghmare’s piece to find out: www.dataforindia.com/trade/?utm_s...
www.dataforindia.com
November 14, 2025 at 3:30 AM
Similar to goods imports, machinery and electronic goods including fully assembled smartphones, machine parts, and engines are a big part of India's exports.
How has India’s goods trade evolved over time? Read Abhishek Waghmare’s piece to find out: www.dataforindia.com/trade/?utm_s...
How has India’s goods trade evolved over time? Read Abhishek Waghmare’s piece to find out: www.dataforindia.com/trade/?utm_s...
As with imports, petroleum also forms the biggest component of India's exports, but in the form of products such as diesel, airline fuel, and petrol/gasoline.
November 14, 2025 at 3:30 AM
As with imports, petroleum also forms the biggest component of India's exports, but in the form of products such as diesel, airline fuel, and petrol/gasoline.
The US is India's biggest goods export destination, followed by the UAE, the Netherlands, and China. India's exports to the US, valued at $78 billion, are far more than its imports from the US ($42 billion), meaning that India has a goods trade surplus with the US.
November 14, 2025 at 3:30 AM
The US is India's biggest goods export destination, followed by the UAE, the Netherlands, and China. India's exports to the US, valued at $78 billion, are far more than its imports from the US ($42 billion), meaning that India has a goods trade surplus with the US.
India imports goods valued at $100 billion from China, but exports from India to China add up to a little more than $15 billion. This means that India has a large bilateral goods trade deficit with China.
November 14, 2025 at 3:30 AM
India imports goods valued at $100 billion from China, but exports from India to China add up to a little more than $15 billion. This means that India has a large bilateral goods trade deficit with China.
India's biggest import partner when it comes to goods is China, from where India mainly imports machinery and capital goods that are used in factories for manufacturing. India's main goods imports from the Gulf countries (chiefly the UAE and Saudi Arabia), the US and Russia are crude oil.
November 14, 2025 at 3:30 AM
India's biggest import partner when it comes to goods is China, from where India mainly imports machinery and capital goods that are used in factories for manufacturing. India's main goods imports from the Gulf countries (chiefly the UAE and Saudi Arabia), the US and Russia are crude oil.
While goods also form the majority of Indian exports, there has been a steady increase in the relative share of services in exports.
November 14, 2025 at 3:30 AM
While goods also form the majority of Indian exports, there has been a steady increase in the relative share of services in exports.
India's trade partnerships too reflect these global realities.
Broadly, trade is made up of trade in goods and services. In India, imports are dominated by goods (or merchandise).
Broadly, trade is made up of trade in goods and services. In India, imports are dominated by goods (or merchandise).
November 14, 2025 at 3:30 AM
India's trade partnerships too reflect these global realities.
Broadly, trade is made up of trade in goods and services. In India, imports are dominated by goods (or merchandise).
Broadly, trade is made up of trade in goods and services. In India, imports are dominated by goods (or merchandise).
How does stunting affect children across different income groups in the country? Read Nileena Suresh’s analysis to find out: www.dataforindia.com/child-stunti...
Child stunting in India
Indian children are among the shortest in the world. While the rates of child stunting have declined over time, a substantial share of Indian children, especially in poorer states and among marginalis...
www.dataforindia.com
November 11, 2025 at 3:30 AM
How does stunting affect children across different income groups in the country? Read Nileena Suresh’s analysis to find out: www.dataforindia.com/child-stunti...
However, research suggests that the high rates of stunting in India reflect a combination of multiple underlying factors, rather than just issues with the standards themselves.
November 11, 2025 at 3:30 AM
However, research suggests that the high rates of stunting in India reflect a combination of multiple underlying factors, rather than just issues with the standards themselves.
These persistently high rates of stunting in India despite economic growth have led to some debate around the WHO's international growth standards.
November 11, 2025 at 3:30 AM
These persistently high rates of stunting in India despite economic growth have led to some debate around the WHO's international growth standards.
Even though child stunting is less prevalent in richer states like Kerala, Punjab and Tamil Nadu, about a quarter of children are stunted in these states as well. These are similar to levels seen in countries like South Africa, Myanmar and Malaysia.
November 11, 2025 at 3:30 AM
Even though child stunting is less prevalent in richer states like Kerala, Punjab and Tamil Nadu, about a quarter of children are stunted in these states as well. These are similar to levels seen in countries like South Africa, Myanmar and Malaysia.
Among Indian states, the rates of stunting are highest in the poorest states - Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand where about two in five children are stunted. These figures are comparable to some of the worst ranking countries globally, like the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola.
November 11, 2025 at 3:30 AM
Among Indian states, the rates of stunting are highest in the poorest states - Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand where about two in five children are stunted. These figures are comparable to some of the worst ranking countries globally, like the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola.
A child is considered stunted if their height is significantly lower than the average for children of the same age and gender, using World Health Organization growth standards. Child stunting can have significant long-term effects on physical and cognitive abilities.
November 11, 2025 at 3:30 AM
A child is considered stunted if their height is significantly lower than the average for children of the same age and gender, using World Health Organization growth standards. Child stunting can have significant long-term effects on physical and cognitive abilities.
More than a third of Indian children under the age of five, or nearly 36%, are stunted. The most recent data on child heights in India comes from the 2019-21 National Family Health Survey 5.
November 11, 2025 at 3:30 AM
More than a third of Indian children under the age of five, or nearly 36%, are stunted. The most recent data on child heights in India comes from the 2019-21 National Family Health Survey 5.
What kind of toilet facilities do Indian households have access to? Read Nileena Suresh’s piece to find out: www.dataforindia.com/sanitation/?...
Access to toilets in India
India has made major strides in improving sanitation, but one in four rural households still does not have access to toilets.
www.dataforindia.com
November 7, 2025 at 8:33 AM
What kind of toilet facilities do Indian households have access to? Read Nileena Suresh’s piece to find out: www.dataforindia.com/sanitation/?...
The poorest households across both rural and urban India had higher shared toilets usage. About one in three of the poorest households in urban India relied on shared toilet facilities, compared to under one in seven households in rural India.
November 7, 2025 at 8:33 AM
The poorest households across both rural and urban India had higher shared toilets usage. About one in three of the poorest households in urban India relied on shared toilet facilities, compared to under one in seven households in rural India.
The extent of sharing was also higher in urban settings, where over half of shared facilities were used by three or more households, and 16% served ten or more households. In rural areas, by contrast, shared facilities were less common.
November 7, 2025 at 8:33 AM
The extent of sharing was also higher in urban settings, where over half of shared facilities were used by three or more households, and 16% served ten or more households. In rural areas, by contrast, shared facilities were less common.
Although urban households generally had better access to toilets, shared usage was quite common, with 12% of urban households sharing toilet facilities.
November 7, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Although urban households generally had better access to toilets, shared usage was quite common, with 12% of urban households sharing toilet facilities.