The bar graph illustrates how much three sectors, namely agriculture, industry, and services contributed to India’s GDP over a 40-year period (1960-2000). Units are measured in percentages.
Overall, the share of agriculture dropped significantly over the period while that of services skyrocketed. Industry shares also grew, albeit moderately. In light of these changes, India had become a more service-based economy than an agrarian one.
Between 1960 and 1980, agriculture was the main driver of the Indian economy. Although its shares fell steadily from roughly 63% initially to just under half in 1980, it was still by far the biggest contributor. In contrast, the other sectors, industry and services, practically doubled within the same period, making up nearly one-quarter and 30% respectively, but they were still much smaller compared to agriculture.
India’s economy saw radical changes in 1990 and onwards, the share of GDP from services climbed to 45% while the figure for agriculture plunged to 30%. This trend persisted in the next decade, when services reached an all-time high of 63% while agriculture hit the trough, at 15%, relegating to the smallest contributor. In the meantime, the share of industry was steady, remaining at one-quarter.