| 1st | 1951-56 | Economic foundation, agricultural growth | Agriculture, Irrigation, Power | Rehabilitated refugees, Improved food production |
| 2nd | 1956-61 | Industrial base expansion, socialist pattern | Heavy industries, Steel plants, Transport | Established IITs, Faced foreign exchange issues |
| 3rd | 1961-66 | Establish a self-reliant and self-generating economy | Agriculture, Industry, Defence | Sino-Indian War (1965), Indo-Pak War (1965), Drought (1966)-Bihar & Eastern UP |
| 4th | 1969-74 | Achieve growth with stability to reduce wealth concentration | Agriculture, Green Revolution, Exports | Indo-Pak War (1971), Oil Crisis |
| 5th | 1974-78 | Alleviate Poverty (Garibi Hatao) | Agriculture, Energy, Poverty programs | Introduced Minimum Needs Programme, Ended early in 1978 |
| 6th | 1980-85 | Employment, Infrastructure, Poverty reduction | Energy transport, Roral development | Improved infrastructure, Liberalised economy |
| 7th | 1985-90 | Productivity, Food production, Modernisation | Agriculture, Industry, Technology | Focused on food security, Export growth |
| 8th | 1992-97 | Human resource development, economic reforms | Education, Health, Liberalisation | Initiated LPG reforms, Boosted private sector |
| 9th | 1997-02 | Equitable growth, social justice | Agriculture, Health, Liberalisation | Faced the East Asian crisis, Political instability |
| 10th | 2002-07 | High growth, social development | Infrastructure, Education, Health | Improved literacy, Faced global economic challenges |
| 11th | 2007-12 | Inclusive growth, Infrastructure development | Education, Health, Rural infrastructure | Expanded social programs, Hit by the global financial crisis. |
| 12th | 2012-17 | Sustainable, Inclusive Growth | Manufacturing, Infrastructure, Environment | The last plan before NITI Aayog replaced the Planning Commission. |
