Age of electoral democracy (Lexical Index) in India
India: Age of electoral democracy (Lexical Index) was 76 years in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Age of electoral democracy in India, 1950–2025
Source: Lexical Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for age of electoral democracy in India is 76 years, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 15.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age of electoral democracy in India peaked at 76 years in 2025 and was at its lowest, 1 years, in 1950.
That places India 20th out of 144 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Age of electoral democracy (Lexical Index) in India, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1 years | — |
| 1951 | 2 years | +100.0% |
| 1952 | 3 years | +50.0% |
| 1953 | 4 years | +33.3% |
| 1954 | 5 years | +25.0% |
| 1955 | 6 years | +20.0% |
| 1956 | 7 years | +16.7% |
| 1957 | 8 years | +14.3% |
| 1958 | 9 years | +12.5% |
| 1959 | 10 years | +11.1% |
| 1960 | 11 years | +10.0% |
| 1961 | 12 years | +9.1% |
| 1962 | 13 years | +8.3% |
| 1963 | 14 years | +7.7% |
| 1964 | 15 years | +7.1% |
| 1965 | 16 years | +6.7% |
| 1966 | 17 years | +6.2% |
| 1967 | 18 years | +5.9% |
| 1968 | 19 years | +5.6% |
| 1969 | 20 years | +5.3% |
| 1970 | 21 years | +5.0% |
| 1971 | 22 years | +4.8% |
| 1972 | 23 years | +4.5% |
| 1973 | 24 years | +4.3% |
| 1974 | 25 years | +4.2% |
| 1975 | 26 years | +4.0% |
| 1976 | 27 years | +3.8% |
| 1977 | 28 years | +3.7% |
| 1978 | 29 years | +3.6% |
| 1979 | 30 years | +3.4% |
| 1980 | 31 years | +3.3% |
| 1981 | 32 years | +3.2% |
| 1982 | 33 years | +3.1% |
| 1983 | 34 years | +3.0% |
| 1984 | 35 years | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 36 years | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 37 years | +2.8% |
| 1987 | 38 years | +2.7% |
| 1988 | 39 years | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 40 years | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 41 years | +2.5% |
| 1991 | 42 years | +2.4% |
| 1992 | 43 years | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 44 years | +2.3% |
| 1994 | 45 years | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 46 years | +2.2% |
| 1996 | 47 years | +2.2% |
| 1997 | 48 years | +2.1% |
| 1998 | 49 years | +2.1% |
| 1999 | 50 years | +2.0% |
| 2000 | 51 years | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 52 years | +2.0% |
| 2002 | 53 years | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 54 years | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 55 years | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 56 years | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 57 years | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 58 years | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 59 years | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 60 years | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 61 years | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 62 years | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 63 years | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 64 years | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 65 years | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 66 years | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 67 years | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 68 years | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 69 years | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 70 years | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 71 years | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 72 years | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 73 years | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 74 years | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 75 years | +1.4% |
| 2025 | 76 years | +1.3% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 76 years is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 24 years, 3.2× the median. (29 countries reporting)
- India's 76 years is above the median for South Asia, which is 14.5 years, 5.2× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Age of electoral democracy (Lexical Index) in India changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | +100.0% | 1 years | 2 years |
| 1952 | +50.0% | 2 years | 3 years |
| 1953 | +33.3% | 3 years | 4 years |
| 1954 | +25.0% | 4 years | 5 years |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 5.5 years | 1 years | 10 years | 10 |
| 1960s | 15.5 years | 11 years | 20 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 25.5 years | 21 years | 30 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 35.5 years | 31 years | 40 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 45.5 years | 41 years | 50 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 55.5 years | 51 years | 60 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 65.5 years | 61 years | 70 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 73.5 years | 71 years | 76 years | 6 |
Countries ranked near India
More social development data for India
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 238,643 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 42,610 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 42,610 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0002 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age of electoral democracy in India?
- Age of electoral democracy in India was 76 years in 2025, according to Lexical Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest age of electoral democracy recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 76 years in 2025.
- What is the lowest age of electoral democracy recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 years in 1950.
- How does India rank for age of electoral democracy?
- India ranks 20th out of 144 countries with data for 2025.
- Is age of electoral democracy rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Lexical Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Age of electoral democracy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of consecutive years in electoral democracy.