~NEW DELHI. Dec 31: India s external debt touched a massive 71.8 billion dollar at the end of . 1991. with a Hon's share of the debt component comprising of long-term and multilateral debts, according to the Organisation for Economic Coopera- ' ( lion and Development (OECD), . reports PTI.

In its Just released 1992 survey on "financing and external debt of developing countries", the Paris-based inter governmental think tank of 24 rich industrial countries said India's aggregale identified debt zoomed from 32.4 billion dollar in 1984 to 64.4 billion dollar in ' 1990 and to 71.8 billion dollar in 1991.

While debt owed to OECD countries including Official Development Assistance (ODA) being granted at Jow rate of interest amounted to 30.1 billion dollar in 1991. India's debt from multilateral Institutions amounted to 28 billion dollar.

India's debt to non-OECD creditors Including Arab court tries amounted to 8.1 billion dollar In 1991. Even at the beginning of the decade, India’s short-term debt stood at a high of 4.8 billion dollar in 1990 which fell to 3.7 billion dollar by 1991. Altogether. India's debt service payments amounted to 5.2 billion dollar in 1991, which is slightly below the 1990 figure of 5.6 billion dollar.