The bar chart illustrates the economic share of three sectors in India’s GDP-agriculture, industry and services- over a period of four decades beginning in 1960.
Overall, the structure of India’s economy experienced a remarkable change throughout the timeframe. The services sector expanded dramatically and became the dominant contributor by the end of the period, whereas the share of agriculture declined steadily. Meanwhile, the industrial sector saw moderate but consistent growth.
In 1960, agriculture made up the largest share of GDP, accounting for just about 60%. At the same time, both industry and services were responsible for just over 15%. By 1970 and 1980, the proportion of agriculture had fallen to about 55% and 45% respectively, with a steady increase in the other two sectors. The share of industry rose to around 25% in 1980, and the figure for services exceeded that of industry by 2%.
During the last two decades, the decline in agriculture became more pronounced. By 2000, it had diminished to roughly 15%, while the portion of the service sector surged to over 60%, surpassing all the sectors. Industry maintained its upward trend, rising to nearly 25% in the same year.