Provided are an ITO sputtering target wherein the number of particles having a grain diameter of 100 nm or greater exposed in the ITO sputtering target as a result of royal water etching or sputter etching is 1 particle/.mu.m.sup.2, and an ITO sputtering target having a density of 7.12 g/cm.sup.3 or greater capable of improving the sputtering performance, in particular inhibiting the generation of arcing, suppressing the generation of defects in the ITO film caused by such arcing, and thereby effectively inhibiting the deterioration of the ITO film.