Which sector had the smallest share of the workforce in India during the colonial period?

Manufacturing

During the colonial period, there were minimal changes observed in the occupational structure of India, which refers to the distribution of working individuals across different industries and sectors. The agricultural sector remained the dominant source of employment, consistently accounting for a substantial share of the workforce, typically ranging from 70 to 75 percent. In contrast, the manufacturing and services sectors accounted for a much smaller portion, with manufacturing at around 10 percent and services at 15 to 20 percent.