The bar graph illustrates the changing contributions of the agricultural, industrial, and service sectors to the gross domestic product (GDP) in India between 1960 and 2000.
Overall, the significance of agriculture steadily declined throughout the period, while the service sector experienced a relative increase. A different pattern emerged for the industry, which initially saw a slight climb before 1980 but then plateaued for the subsequent 20 years.
In 1960, agriculture accounted for the largest share of India’s GDP, peaking at over 60%. However, it underwent a dramatic decline, eventually nosediving to just above 10% in 2000. On the other hand, the service sector, which had a minor impact on the economy in 1960, rocketed from around 20% in 1970 to roughly 28% in 1980 and about 45% in 1990. In 2000, it matched the high point reached by agriculture in 1960, reflecting a reversal in the dominant trend.
Industry sustained its share of India’s wealth over the observed 50 years. After the modest rise from approximately 16% in 1960 to a quarter in 1980, the industrial sector remained stable for the following two decades, maintaining a constant proportion of the overall GDP.