An improved process is described for the purification of ropinirole hydrochloride. The process includes (i) dissolving ropinirole hydrochloride in water; (ii) treating the solution obtained in step (i) with sodium dithionate and charcoal; (iii) treating the filtrate obtained in step (ii) with water immiscible solvent and base and isolating the free base; and (iv) treating the free base obtained in step (iii) with ethanolic HCl to give ropinirole hydrochloride.