Total reserves in months of imports (reserves International Financial) in India
India: Total reserves in months of imports (reserves International Financial) was 7.85 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Total reserves in months of imports in India, 1975–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Analysis
India recorded 7.85 for total reserves in months of imports in 2025.
The figure is up 4.4% on the previous year and down 1.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total reserves in months of imports in India peaked at 12.93 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 2.04, in 1990.
That places India 30th out of 179 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
Total reserves in months of imports (reserves International Financial) in India, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 3.87 | — |
| 1976 | 7.31 | +88.8% |
| 1977 | 10.39 | +42.1% |
| 1978 | 10.56 | +1.6% |
| 1979 | 11.41 | +8.1% |
| 1980 | 8.26 | -27.6% |
| 1981 | 5.43 | -34.2% |
| 1982 | 5.43 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | 5.31 | -2.2% |
| 1984 | 5.38 | +1.3% |
| 1985 | 5.6 | +4.1% |
| 1986 | 5.93 | +5.8% |
| 1987 | 5.78 | -2.5% |
| 1988 | 3.99 | -31.0% |
| 1989 | 3.15 | -21.0% |
| 1990 | 2.04 | -35.4% |
| 1991 | 2.92 | +43.5% |
| 1992 | 3.37 | +15.3% |
| 1993 | 5.07 | +50.4% |
| 1994 | 6.88 | +35.7% |
| 1995 | 5.13 | -25.4% |
| 1996 | 5.01 | -2.4% |
| 1997 | 5.39 | +7.6% |
| 1998 | 5.67 | +5.2% |
| 1999 | 6.31 | +11.2% |
| 2000 | 6.12 | -3.0% |
| 2001 | 7.45 | +21.8% |
| 2002 | 10.37 | +39.2% |
| 2003 | 12.28 | +18.4% |
| 2004 | 11.31 | -8.0% |
| 2005 | 8.52 | -24.6% |
| 2006 | 8.92 | +4.7% |
| 2007 | 11.14 | +24.9% |
| 2008 | 7.71 | -30.7% |
| 2009 | 9.77 | +26.7% |
| 2010 | 7.76 | -20.6% |
| 2011 | 6.19 | -20.3% |
| 2012 | 5.9 | -4.6% |
| 2013 | 6.03 | +2.1% |
| 2014 | 6.6 | +9.5% |
| 2015 | 8 | +21.3% |
| 2016 | 8.43 | +5.3% |
| 2017 | 8.16 | -3.2% |
| 2018 | 6.9 | -15.5% |
| 2019 | 8.27 | +19.9% |
| 2020 | 12.93 | +56.3% |
| 2021 | 9.84 | -23.9% |
| 2022 | 7.01 | -28.8% |
| 2023 | 7.97 | +13.7% |
| 2024 | 7.52 | -5.7% |
| 2025 | 7.85 | +4.4% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 7.85 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5.09, 1.5× the median. (42 countries reporting)
- India's 7.85 is above the median for South Asia, which is 5.26, 1.5× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 8.71 | 3.87 | 11.41 | 5 |
| 1980s | 5.43 | 3.15 | 8.26 | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.78 | 2.04 | 6.88 | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.36 | 6.12 | 12.28 | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.23 | 5.9 | 8.43 | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.85 | 7.01 | 12.93 | 6 |
Countries ranked near India
More financial sector data for India
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 13.2 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0012 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 3.26 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 7.8 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0009 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 2.38 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 13.2 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0012 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 3.26 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 7.8 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total reserves in months of imports in India?
- Total reserves in months of imports in India was 7.85 in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest total reserves in months of imports recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 12.93 in 2020.
- What is the lowest total reserves in months of imports recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.04 in 1990.
- How does India rank for total reserves in months of imports?
- India ranks 30th out of 179 countries with data for 2025.
- Is total reserves in months of imports rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Total reserves in months of imports. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Reserve assets are external assets, including monetary gold, that are readily available to and controlled by monetary authorities for meeting balance of payments financing needs, for intervention in exchange markets to affect the currency exchange rate, and for other related purposes (such as maintaining confidence in the currency and the economy, and serving as a basis for foreign borrowing). Reserve assets must be denominated and settled in foreign currency. This item is expressed in terms of the number of months of imports of goods and services they could pay for [X/(Imports/12)].