China's economy is approximately 1.3x larger by GDP ($17.9 trillion vs $13.7 trillion in 2024), with higher per-capita income and manufacturing dominance, while India's economy grows faster at 6.2% annually and is projected to surpass China by 2075 due to demographic advantages and lower debt levels.
China vs India Economy — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
China remains the stronger economy in absolute terms with 31% higher GDP, superior manufacturing infrastructure, and lower inflation, making it the current global economic powerhouse. India offers superior long-term growth potential with faster annual expansion, younger demographics, and lower debt burden, positioning it as the next economic superpower by mid-century. Choose China if measuring current economic influence; choose India if investing for 30+ year horizon growth.
World's second-largest economy emphasizing manufacturing dominance, infrastructure investment, and state-directed growth.
World's 5th largest economy growing at 6.8% annually with 1.4 billion population.
China vs India Economy — Comparison Data
Structured comparison data for China vs India Economy with 247 attributes.
Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery Production
Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery Production Share
Foreign Direct Investment Inflows (Annual)
Tech Sector Market Capitalization (Top 7 Companies)
Average Annual GDP Growth Rate (2010-2023)
Annual GDP Growth Rate (2020-2026 Average)
Foreign Direct Investment Inflows (2024)
China vs India Economy — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for China vs India Economy.
Yes, IMF projections suggest India's GDP will surpass China's nominal GDP around 2075, driven by India's 6.2% annual growth vs China's 5.0%, plus demographic advantages. However, per-capita income parity will take significantly longer given the 5.3x gap in income per person.
Why is China's GDP per capita so much higher than India's?
China's per-capita GDP ($12,720) is 5.3x higher due to 50+ years of sustained 9-10% growth (1978-2008), industrialization at scale, higher average wages ($1,100/month vs $389/month in India), and superior infrastructure accumulated over decades. India is catching up but started from a much lower base.
China offers stable, mature returns through manufacturing and established tech firms but faces growth headwinds and aging demographics. India offers higher growth potential (6.2% annually) and demographic dividend but carries higher inflation (4.9%) and currency volatility. Choose China for capital preservation; choose India for growth.
How do China and India compare in tech sectors?
China dominates in manufacturing tech (semiconductors, batteries) and has global giants like Alibaba ($230B revenue), Tencent ($70B revenue), and ByteDance (TikTok). India leads in IT services/outsourcing ($254B industry) with companies like TCS and Infosys, plus ranks second globally in startup unicorns (142) after the US.
Why is India's inflation higher than China's?
India's 4.9% inflation (vs China's 0.8%) reflects higher food price volatility, stronger labor wage growth due to economic dynamism, currency depreciation pressures, and less centralized price controls. China's lower inflation partly reflects economic slowdown and deflationary pressures from overcapacity in some sectors.