Inflation by decade
Averaged over ten-year blocks, India's inflation story splits cleanly into an unstable first half and a far calmer recent period:
| Decade | Average inflation | Prices rose | ₹100 at the start became |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6.3% | 1.73× | ₹173 |
| 1970s | 7.4% | 1.9× | ₹190 |
| 1980s | 8.9% | 2.16× | ₹216 |
| 1990s | 9.6% | 2.28× | ₹228 |
| 2000s | 5.7% | 1.64× | ₹164 |
| 2010s | 6.2% | 1.72× | ₹172 |
| 2020s so far | 5% | 1.27× | ₹127 |
The three inflationary eras
1960s–1970s: shocks and scarcity. The most volatile stretch in the series. Drought, two wars, and above all the 1973 oil crisis drove inflation to 16.9% in 1973 and 28.6% in 1974 — the highest annual figure India has recorded. It was followed immediately by the only real deflation in the data, −7.6% in 1976.
1980s–1990s: persistent high single digits. Inflation settled into a chronic 7–10% band. The 1991 balance-of-payments crisis pushed it to 13.9% as the rupee was devalued and the economy opened up.
2000s onwards: gradual taming. The 2000s were calmer, interrupted by a sharp episode around 2009–2013 when inflation again ran into double digits. Since the RBI formally adopted inflation targeting in 2016 — a 4% target with a 2% band either side — the rate has been the most stable in India's modern history.
What this did to the rupee
Compounded over 65 years, the cumulative effect is severe. ₹100 from 1960 buys today what ₹9,221 buys — meaning the 1960 rupee retains roughly 1.08% of its purchasing power. Even from 1990, money has lost about 90.2% of what it could buy.
To see the figure for any particular year, use the inflation calculator or pick a year below.
Full data table
Every year in the series, with the annual rate and what ₹100 from that year is worth in 2025: