<hdr>The World Factbook 1994: India<nl>Economy</hdr><body>
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<item><hi format=bold>Overview:</hi> India's economy is a mixture of traditional village farming, modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries, and a multitude of support services. Faster economic growth in the 1980s permitted a significant increase in real per capita private consumption. A large share of the population, perhaps as much as 40%, remains too poor to afford an adequate diet. Financial strains in 1990 and 1991 prompted government austerity measures that slowed industrial growth but permitted India to meet its international payment obligations without rescheduling its debt. Policy reforms since 1991 have extended earlier economic liberalization and greatly reduced government controls on production, trade, and investment. US and other foreign firms are increasing their investment in India. In January 1994, international financial reserves were comfortably high.
<item><hi format=bold>National product:</hi> GDP—purchasing power equivalent—$1.17 trillion (FY94 est.)
<item><hi format=bold>National product real growth rate:</hi> 3.8% (FY94 est.)
<item><hi format=bold>National product per capita:</hi> $1,300 (FY94 est.)
<item><hi format=bold>Agriculture:</hi> accounts for about 40% of GDP and employs 65% of labor force; principal crops—rice, wheat, oilseeds, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes; livestock—cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats, poultry; fish catch of about 3 million metric tons ranks India among the world's top 10 fishing nations
<item><hi format=bold>Illicit drugs:</hi> licit producer of opium poppy for the pharmaceutical trade, but some opium is diverted to illicit international drug markets; major transit country for illicit narcotics produced in neighboring countries; illicit producer of hashish; minor production of illicit opium
<item><hi format=bold>Economic aid:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>recipient:</hi> US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $4.4 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-89), $31.7 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $315 million; USSR (1970-89), $11.6 billion; Eastern Europe (1970-89), $105 million
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<item><hi format=bold>Currency:</hi> 1 Indian rupee (Re)=100 paise
<item><hi format=bold>Exchange rates:</hi> Indian rupees (Rs) per US$1—31.370 (January 1994), 30.493 (1993), 25.918 (1992), 22.742 (1991), 17.504 (1990), 16.226 (1989)
<item><hi format=bold>Fiscal year:</hi> 1 April–31 March