Guess the number
How much money did India receive in remittances in 2024?
$137.7 billion, the most of any country and more than twice Mexico.
Key facts
- India received $137.7 billion in personal remittances in 2024, more than any other country.
- That is 2.0 times Mexico ($67.6 billion), the second-largest recipient, and 16% of the world total ($856.6 billion).
- India received almost as much as Mexico, the Philippines and France combined ($146.7 billion).
- India’s remittances have more than doubled since 2016 ($62.7 billion) and equal about 3.7% of India’s GDP.
India remittances are the largest in the world by a wide margin. Money sent home by Indians working abroad, from the Gulf to the US, the UK and Singapore, reached $137.7 billion in 2024, according to World Bank figures.
Published November 2026. All figures: World Bank, World Development Indicators, "Personal remittances, received (current US$)", 2024, the latest year available for all countries. Personal remittances are money sent home by people working abroad plus other personal transfers, including pay earned by people working abroad for short periods.
The world’s largest remittance recipients, 2024
Table of Contents
| Rank | Country | Personal remittances received |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | $137.7 billion |
| 2 | Mexico | $67.6 billion |
| 3 | Philippines | $40.3 billion |
| 4 | France | $38.8 billion |
| 5 | Pakistan | $34.9 billion |
| 6 | Egypt | $29.6 billion |
| 7 | Bangladesh | $27.5 billion |
| 8 | China | $25.0 billion |
| 9 | Germany | $22.2 billion |
| 10 | Nigeria | $22.1 billion |
A decade of growth
| Year | India’s remittances |
|---|---|
| 2014 | $70.4 billion |
| 2016 | $62.7 billion |
| 2018 | $78.8 billion |
| 2020 | $83.1 billion |
| 2022 | $111.2 billion |
| 2023 | $119.5 billion |
| 2024 | $137.7 billion |
India’s remittances dipped in 2016, then climbed steadily, with the biggest jumps in 2022 (+24%) and 2024 (+15%). Higher earnings among Indian workers abroad and a growing number of skilled migrants are often cited as reasons; the World Bank series records the totals, not the causes.
What it means
- For households: remittances are a direct source of income for millions of Indian families, supporting spending, education and housing.
- For the economy: at about 3.7% of GDP, remittances are a significant and stable inflow of foreign currency.
- For businesses: money transfer, banking, real estate and consumer businesses in high-migration regions serve a market funded partly from abroad.
Explore the data
Questions
How much money does India receive in remittances?
$137.7 billion in 2024 (World Bank).
Which country receives the most remittances?
India, followed by Mexico ($67.6 billion) and the Philippines ($40.3 billion).
What share of world remittances goes to India?
About 16% of the $856.6 billion total in 2024.
Sources
- World Bank, World Development Indicators, BX.TRF.PWKR.CD.DT (personal remittances, received) and NY.GDP.MKTP.CD (GDP), via Advanton Statistics.
See our methodology. Cite as: Advanton (2026), "India Receives More Money From Its Diaspora Than Any Country on Earth".
Last reviewed November 12, 2026. Startup costs are estimates; check local prices, licensing and tax rules before you commit money.