Embassy of India, Paramaribo, Suriname
India at a glance India at a glance

India at a glance

India

Capital: New Delhi
Located in South Asia, India is the seventh largest and the second most populous country in the world. Home to the Indus Valley civilization and known for its historic trade routes and vast empires, India is recognized for its commercial and cultural wealth. It is the center of amalgamation of many religions and ethnicities that have shaped the country's diverse culture. Colonized by the United Kingdom from the early eighteenth century, India became a modern nation-state in 1947, after a struggle for independence that was remarkable for its largely non-violent resistance, and is the most populous democracy in the world today.

Location: South Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Myanmar and Pakistan.

Geographic Coordinates: 20 00 N, 77 00 E

Border Countries: Afghanistan and Pakistan to the northwest; China, Bhutan, and Nepal to the north; Myanmar to the east; and Bangladesh to the east of West Bengal. Sri Lanka is separated from India by a narrow channel of sea, formed by Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar.

Coastline: 7,516.6 km encompassing the mainland, Lakshadweep Islands, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Climate: Mainly tropical in southern India, but temperatures in the north range from sub-zero degrees to 50 degrees Celsius. There are well-defined seasons in the northern region: winter (Dec - Feb), spring (Mar - Apr), summer (May - Jun), monsoons (Jul - Sep) and autumn (Oct - Nov).

Area: total: 3,287,590 sq km

Land: 2,973,190 sq km

Water: 314,400 sq km

Natural Resources: coal, iron ore, manganese, mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromites, natural gas, diamonds, petroleum, limestone, arable land.

Land Use: arable land: 48.83 per cent

Irrigated Land: 60.2 million hectares (2005-06)

Political Profile

Political System and Government:

The 1950 Constitution provides for a parliamentary system of government with a bicameral parliament and three independent branches: the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary. The country has a federal structure with elected governments in states.

Administrative Divisions: 28 States and 8 Union Territories.

Constitution: The Constitution of India came into force on 26th January 1950.

Executive Branch: The President of India is the Head of State, while the Prime Minister is the Head of the Government and runs office with the support of the Council of Ministers, who form the Cabinet.

Legislative Branch: The Federal Legislature comprises the Lok Sabha (House of the People) and the Rajya Sabha (Council of States), forming both houses of the Parliament.

Judicial Branch: The Supreme Court of India is the apex body of the Indian legal system, followed by other High Courts and subordinate Courts.

Chief of State: President Shrimati Droupadi Murmu (Since 22 July 2022)

Head of Government: Prime Minister Shri Narendara Modi (Since 2014)

Demographic profile

Population: According to the census reports of Indian Census 2011, the population of India is 1,210,854,977 with 623, 724, 248 males and 586,469, 174 females.

Population Growth Rate: The average annual exponential growth rate stands at 1.64 percent during 2001-2011

Ethnic Groups: Indo-Aryan 72 percent, Dravidian 25 percent, Mongoloid and other 3 percent (2000)

Religions: According to the 2011 census, out of the total population of 1211 million in the country, Hindus constituted the majority with 79.8%, Muslims came second at 14.2%, followed by Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and others.

Languages: There are 22 different languages that have been recognized by the Constitution of India, of which Hindi is an official language. Article 343(3) empowered Parliament to provide by law for continued use of English for official purposes.

Literacy: Total population: 74.04 percent (2011 census) 
Male: 82.14 percent
Female: 65.46 percent

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Economic Profile
India is the world's fourth-largest economy by nominal GDP (USD 4.2 trillion) and the third-largest by purchasing power parity.

India is projected to remain the fastest-growing large economy for 2025 and 2026, reaffirming its dominance in the global economic landscape. The country’s economy is expected to expand by 6.2 per cent in 2025 and 6.3 per cent in 2026, outpacing many of its global counterparts.

Growth is fueled by domestic demand, fiscal support, and stable inflation. With inflation continuing its downward turn, the RBI began easing monetary policy in early 2025 after holding rates steady at 6.5% since 2023.

The services sector, especially financial and professional services, is recovering strongly post-pandemic, with services exports reaching new highs. Manufacturing and construction also show significant growth, with infrastructure being built at a blistering pace.

Overall, India is projected to remain a key driver of global economic growth, with steady expansion expected despite global uncertainties. It will continue its rapid growth, to achieve higher growth rates to meet its ambition of becoming a developed nation by 2047.

June 2025

Indian economy at glance:

Investing Environment in India

Indian Foreign Trade

Reports and Statistics on Indian Economy

Currency (code): Indian rupee (INR)
Exchange Rates: Indian rupees per US dollar - 1 USD = 88.5INR (Nov.2025)
Fiscal Year: 1 April - 31 March