Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — India

Self-employed in India in 2025 — 74.9%. Ranked 27 in the world out of 182. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 12.1 pp.

2025 74.9% −0.5 pp vs 2024
World rank 27of 182
Period maximum 87%1991
Period minimum 74.9%2025

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — India, 1991–2025707580859019911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 87%1992: 86.7%1993: 86.5%1994: 86.3%1995: 86%1996: 85.7%1997: 85.5%1998: 85.2%1999: 85%2000: 84.7%2001: 84.6%2002: 84.6%2003: 84.5%2004: 84.4%2005: 84.2%2006: 84%2007: 83.8%2008: 83.7%2009: 83.6%2010: 83.4%2011: 82.2%2012: 81.1%2013: 80.6%2014: 80.1%2015: 79.5%2016: 79%2017: 78.4%2018: 77.8%2019: 77.2%2020: 77.2%2021: 76.7%2022: 76.9%2023: 76.1%2024: 75.4%2025: 74.9%
Change over the period: −12.1 pp Annual average: -0.35 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: India

India 74.9%
World 46.4%
South Asia 73.1%
Southern Asia computed 70.5%
Self-employed — India, by year India All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 74.9 −0.5 pp
2024 75.4 −0.7 pp
2023 76.1 −0.7 pp
2022 76.9 +0.2 pp
2021 76.7 −0.5 pp
2020 77.2 −0 pp
2019 77.2 −0.6 pp
2018 77.8 −0.6 pp
2017 78.4 −0.6 pp
2016 79 −0.6 pp
2015 79.5 −0.5 pp
2014 80.1 −0.5 pp
2013 80.6 −0.5 pp
2012 81.1 −1.2 pp
2011 82.2 −1.2 pp
2010 83.4 −0.2 pp
2009 83.6 −0.1 pp
2008 83.7 −0.1 pp
2007 83.8 −0.2 pp
2006 84 −0.2 pp
2005 84.2 −0.1 pp
2004 84.4 −0.1 pp
2003 84.5 −0.1 pp
2002 84.6 −0.1 pp
2001 84.6 −0.1 pp
2000 84.7 −0.3 pp
1999 85 −0.3 pp
1998 85.2 −0.2 pp
1997 85.5 −0.2 pp
1996 85.7 −0.3 pp
1995 86 −0.3 pp
1994 86.3 −0.2 pp
1993 86.5 −0.2 pp
1992 86.7 −0.2 pp
1991 87

Southern Asia, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

About the indicator

The share of total employment that is self-employed: employers, own-account workers, members of producers cooperatives and contributing family workers. High values in low-income countries reflect not developed entrepreneurship but the absence of wage jobs and informal work in agriculture and small-scale trade.

Source: ILOSTAT (ILO), license CC BY 4.0.