Data Stories
Explore Indiagraphs data stories on markets, inflation, and the real economy curated for clear, evidence-backed narratives.
Gold vs Silver: Which Asset Won the Last 42 Years in India? (1983–2026)
Data Update : 15 April 2026 Since 1983, gold in India has delivered a CAGR of ~10.9%, rising from ₹1,858 to ₹1.52 lakh (₹1,52,228) as of 15 April 2026. Silver followed closely with a ~10.6% CAGR, though with significantly higher volatility across cycles. According to RBI financial-year averages and MCX spot data, silver outperformed gold […]</p>
External Debt per Indian (1991–2025): How Much Do We Owe the World?
External debt rarely makes the headlines. GDP growth numbers, stock market rallies, or the rupee-dollar exchange rate often dominate public debate. Yet, behind the scenes, India has been steadily piling up obligations to the rest of the world. At the end of March 2025, India’s external debt stood at ₹63,03,630 crore (USD 736 billion). That figure […]</p>
Inflation vs Small Savings in 2026: Are India’s Trusted Schemes Finally Beating Price Rise?
Data Updated : 15 January 2026 A DATA-BACKED REALITY CHECK BY INDIAGRAPHS INSIGHTS Note: Small savings interest rates have remained unchanged from January 2026 through March 2026. Inflation assumptions are based on historical CPI data for FY 2024–25, the latest full-year data available. All calculations reflect officially notified rates and inflation data available as of January […]</p>
The Story of India’s Inflation: How the CPI Measures What We Pay
Every month, headlines flash: “Inflation rises to 6.1% – the highest in eight months“. The number moves markets, shapes RBI decisions, and affects your grocery bill – yet few people know what it really means. Why is the inflation rate “just 6%” when your rent, food delivery, and electricity bill have all gone up far more? […]</p>
Silver Demand in EV’s and Solar – India’s Industrial Bet
Updated – 13 Dec 2025 For decades, silver in India was a symbol: of dowry, adornment, and saving during droughts. But today, it’s being reinvented – quietly, almost invisibly – inside solar panels, electric vehicles, power grids and high-tech circuits. What was once “common man’s gold” is transforming into an industrial backbone metal. Behind this transformation lies […]</p>
India’s Household Savings 2025: 10 RBI Insights That Show How We Save, Spend & Borrow
On 28th August 2025, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released its Handbook of Statistics on the Indian Economy 2025 – a comprehensive dataset capturing how Indian households save, borrow, and invest. The latest numbers highlight important shifts: households remain the backbone of India’s savings, but liabilities are rising sharply; gold continues to play a significant […]</p>
India’s Income Tax Decade: Doubling Returns, Soaring Refunds & Shifting Burdens (2013–2024)
At the dawn of the e-filing statistics era, FY 2013–14 recorded 3.8 crore Indians filing an income tax return, and the government collected ₹6.38 lakh crore in direct taxes. By FY 2023–24, those numbers had grown to 8.6 crore returns and ₹19.6 lakh crore in collections. That’s a 2.3X increase in returns filed and a 3X jump in revenue in just 10 years. But behind […]</p>
11 Years of Jan Dhan Yojana: From ₹1,000 Balances to ₹2.75 Lakh Crore Deposits – India’s Banking Revolution in Data
Updated : 03 December 2025 Introduction On 28 August 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY). The promise was simple but ambitious: every household in India should have a bank account. At the time, many economists and bankers were skeptical. Would the poor really use bank accounts? Would they […]</p>
Sand Batteries Explained: How Finland’s Sand Battery Stores Summer Solar for Winter Heating
What is a sand battery? A sand battery is a big, well-insulated tank filled with ordinary sand (or sand-like rock). When cheap renewable electricity is available, electric heaters warm the sand to about 500–600°C. Later, fans push air through pipes inside the hot sand to pull the heat back out for buildings, hot water, or […]</p>
Gold vs Gold Jewellery Returns: Emotion vs Investment – What Builds Real Wealth?
When we talk about investing in gold, most Indian households don’t think of ETFs, sovereign bonds, or digital gold. They think of bangles, necklaces, and earrings – passed down generations, stored in lockers, and bought during weddings. But here’s the reality: not all gold is a good investment.Gold jewellery, despite its sentimental and cultural value, […]</p>
India’s Renewable Energy in 2025: Capacity, Challenges, and Net Zero Progress
India’s clean energy journey is gaining serious momentum. In 2025, the country finds itself at a powerful crossroads – trying to balance booming energy demand, energy security, and climate responsibility. In this article we will take a deep, data-backed look at where India stands today, what’s working, what’s not, and how far we still have […]</p>
Gold vs Sensex: 25-Year Wealth Builder – What ₹1 Lakh Taught Us About Long-Term Wealth
If you had ₹1 lakh in 2000, where would you be richer today – in Gold or the Sensex?Over the past 25 years, both assets have told a fascinating story of India’s growth, global shocks, and investor sentiment. One shines in crisis, the other compounds in calm. In this data story, we break down how […]</p>
Sensex Returns vs INR Depreciation: 25 Years of Market Growth vs Currency Erosion
Two Indicators, One Nation’s Economic Journey Over the last 25 years, two financial indicators have silently shaped the wealth of millions of Indians: the Sensex, India’s benchmark stock market index, and the INR/USD exchange rate, a reflection of our currency’s strength on the global stage. At first glance, they seem unrelated – one tracks the […]</p>
India vs Dollar: 25 Years of Currency Change and Global Comparison
Tracking the Fall of the Rupee – and What It Means From ₹43 to over ₹85 per dollar – in the last 25 years, the Indian Rupee has seen a steady slide against the US Dollar. But is this devaluation always a sign of economic weakness? Or does it reflect a global shift, inflation adjustment, […]</p>
PAN Card Statistics 2025: Age, Gender & Taxpayer Breakdown of India’s 80 Crore PAN Holders
The Permanent Account Number (PAN) is not just a 10-digit alphanumeric identity – it’s India’s foundational link between individuals, businesses, and the tax system. As of 31st March 2025, more than 80 crore PANs have been issued in India. But who exactly holds them? How does it break down by age, gender, and entity type? […]</p>