bert D. BLACKWILL (nominated March 2001)
Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021 mailing address: 419-0017
consulate(s) general: Chennai (Madras), Kolkata (Calcutta),
Mumbai (Bombay)

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white,
and green with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in the white band;
similar to the flag of Niger, which has a small orange disk centered in
the white band

Economy India

Economy - overview: India's economy encompasses traditional village
farming, modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern
industries, and a multitude of support services. About a quarter
of the population is too poor to be able to afford an adequate
diet. India's international payments position remained strong in 2001
with adequate foreign exchange reserves, and moderately depreciating
nominal exchange rates. Growth in manufacturing output has slowed,
and electricity shortages continue in many regions. India has large
numbers of well-educated people skilled in English language; India is
a major exporter of software services and software workers.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.5 trillion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25% industry: 26% services:
49% (2001)

Population below poverty line: 25% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.5%
highest 10%: 33.5% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 37.8 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.5% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 406 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 60%, services 23%, industry 17%
(1999)

Unemployment rate: 4.4% (1999)

Budget: revenues: $48.3 billion expenditures: $78.2 billion, including
capital expenditures of $13.5 billion (FY01/02 est.)

Industries: textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation
equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery, software

Industrial production growth rate: 4.3% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 547.12 billion kWh (FY 2000-01, utilities only)
(2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 83.4% hydro: 13.85%
other: 0.18% (2000) nuclear: 2.57%

Electricity - consumption: 509.89 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 321 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 1.385 billion kWh (2000)

Agriculture - p