In 2023, the annual population growth in India was 0.88 percent. Between 1961 and 2023, the figure dropped by 1.52 percentage points, though the decline followed an uneven course rather than a steady trajectory.

The statistic shows the total population of India from 2019 to 2029. In 2023, the estimated total population in India amounted to approximately 1.43 billion people.

Total population in India

India currently has the second-largest population in the world and is projected to overtake top-ranking China within forty years. Its residents comprise more than one-seventh of the entire world’s population, and despite a slowly decreasing fertility rate (which still exceeds the replacement rate and keeps the median age of the population relatively low), an increasing life expectancy adds to an expanding population. In comparison with other countries whose populations are decreasing, such as Japan, India has a relatively small share of aged population, which indicates the probability of lower death rates and higher retention of the existing population.

With a land mass of less than half that of the United States and a population almost four times greater, India has recognized potential problems of its growing population. Government attempts to implement family planning programs have achieved varying degrees of success. Initiatives such as sterilization programs in the 1970s have been blamed for creating general antipathy to family planning, but the combined efforts of various family planning and contraception programs have helped halve fertility rates since the 1960s. The population growth rate has correspondingly shrunk as well, but has not yet reached less than one percent growth per year.

As home to thousands of ethnic groups, hundreds of languages, and numerous religions, a cohesive and broadly-supported effort to reduce population growth is difficult to create. Despite that, India is one country to watch in coming years. It is also a growing economic power; among other measures, its GDP per capita was expected to triple between 2003 and 2013 and was listed as the third-ranked country for its share of the global gross domestic product.

Graph and download economic data for Population Growth for India (SPPOPGROWIND) from 1961 to 2024 about India, population, and rate.

The share of projected population increase in Uttar Pradesh, India from 2011 until 2036 is expected to grow by nearly ** percent. By contrast, the estimated population increase in Uttarakhand is expected to be less than *** percent during the same time period.

Why project population?
Population projections for a country are becoming increasingly important now than ever before. They are used primarily by government policy makers and planners to better understand and gauge future demand for basic services that predominantly include water, food and energy. In addition, they also support in indicating major movements that may affect economic development and in turn, employment and labour productivity. Consequently, this leads to amending policies in order to better adapt to the needs of society and to various circumstances.

Demographic projections and health interventions Demographic figures serve the foremost purpose of improving health and health related services among the population. Some of the government interventions include antenatal and neonatal care with the aim of reducing maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity rates. In addition, it also focuses on improving immunization coverage across the country. Further, demographic estimates help in better preempting the needs of growing populations, such as the geriatric population within a country.

Population growth (annual %) in India was reported at 0.89071 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. India - Population growth (annual %) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

From 2011 to 2036, the projected population among both, males and females in India is expected to see an increase. The percentage increase in the projected population for males was approximately ** percent from 2011 to 2036 while the percentage increase for the female population was roughly ** percent during the same time period.

In 1800, the population of the region of present-day India was approximately 169 million. The population would grow gradually throughout the 19th century, rising to over 240 million by 1900. Population growth would begin to increase in the 1920s, as a result of falling mortality rates, due to improvements in health, sanitation and infrastructure. However, the population of India would see it’s largest rate of growth in the years following the country’s independence from the British Empire in 1948, where the population would rise from 358 million to over one billion by the turn of the century, making India the second country to pass the billion person milestone. While the rate of growth has slowed somewhat as India begins a demographics shift, the country’s population has continued to grow dramatically throughout the 21st century, and in 2020, India is estimated to have a population of just under 1.4 billion, well over a billion more people than one century previously. Today, approximately 18% of the Earth’s population lives in India, and it is estimated that India will overtake China to become the most populous country in the world within the next five years.

India Vital Statistics: Natural Growth Rate: per 1000 Population data was reported at 13.500 NA in 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 13.800 NA for 2019. India Vital Statistics: Natural Growth Rate: per 1000 Population data is updated yearly, averaging 18.500 NA from Dec 1970 (Median) to 2020, with 51 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 22.000 NA in 1971 and a record low of 13.500 NA in 2020. India Vital Statistics: Natural Growth Rate: per 1000 Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under Global Database’s India – Table IN.GAH001: Vital Statistics.

Population growth rate of India rose by 0.84% from 0.9 % in 2023 to 0.9 % in 2024. Since the 3.94% decline in 2022, population growth rate leapt by 12.72% in 2024. Annual population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage . Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of the country of origin.

Rural population growth (annual %) in India was reported at 0.09713 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. India - Rural population growth (annual %) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

India's population demographics - total population, growth rate, age-wise and state-wise population, languages spoken, and religion.

Urban population growth (annual %) in India was reported at 2.2645 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. India - Urban population growth (annual %) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

This dataset contains the decadal growth rates of general population and elderly population in India during different census years.

india - Population Growth for India was 0.88329 % Chg. at Annual Rate in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, india - Population Growth for India reached a record high of 0.88329 in January of 2023 and a record low of 0.79020 in January of 2022. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for india - Population Growth for India - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

Vital Statistics: Natural Growth Rate: per 1000 Population: Karnataka: Urban data was reported at 10.200 NA in 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 10.800 NA for 2019. Vital Statistics: Natural Growth Rate: per 1000 Population: Karnataka: Urban data is updated yearly, averaging 12.100 NA from Dec 1997 (Median) to 2020, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13.800 NA in 1998 and a record low of 10.200 NA in 2020. Vital Statistics: Natural Growth Rate: per 1000 Population: Karnataka: Urban data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAH004: Vital Statistics: Natural Growth Rate: by States.

The growth rate of the elderly population in India saw a sharp increase from 2001 onward after a series of successive falls. According to projections for 2021-31, the growth rate was expected to be five times the growth rate of the total population.

POPULATION PROIECTIONS FOR INDIA AND STATES 2011 – 2036 (Downscaled to District, Sub-Districts and Villages/Towns by Esri India)REPORT OF THE TECHNICAL GROUP ON POPULATION PROIECTTONSJuly, 2020The projected population figures provided by the Registrar General of India forms the basis for planning and implementation of various health interventions including RMNCH+A, which are aimed at improving the overall health outcomes by ensuring quality service provision to all the health beneficiaries. These interventions focus on antenatal, intranatal and neonatal care aimed at reducing maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality; improving coverage and quality of health care interventions and improving coverage for immunization against vaccine preventable diseases. Further, these estimates would also enable us to tackle the special health care needs of various population age groups, thus gearing the system for necessary preventive, promotive, curative, and rehabilitative services for the growing population to this report. PREETI SUDAN, IAS SecretaryThe Cohort Component Method is the universally accepted method of making population projections because of the fact that the growth of population is determined by fertility, mortality, and migration rates. In this exercise, 20 States and two UTs have been applied the Cohort Component method. These are Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir (UT) and NCT of Delhi. Based on the residual of the projected population of Jammu & Kashmir (State) and Jammu & Kashmir (UT), for which Cohort Component method has applied, projection of the Ladakh UT have been made. For the projections of Jammu & Kashmir (UT), SRS fertility and mortality estimates of Jammu & Kashmir (State) are used. The projection of the seven northeastern states (excluding Assam) has also been carried out as a whole using the Cohort Component Method. Separate projections for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana were done using the re-casted populations of these states. For the projections, for the years before 2014, combined SRS estimates of Andhra Pradesh and year 2014 onwards, separate SRS estimates of fertility and mortality of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are used. For the remaining States and Union territories, Mathematical Method has been applied. The sources of data used are 2011 Census and Sample Registration System (SRS). SRS provides time series data of fertility and mortality, which has been used for predicting their future levelsEsri India Efforts:The Population Projections Report published by MoHFW contains output summary tables from series Table 8 to Table 14. Example: TABLE – 8: Projected total population by sex as on 1st March, 2011-2036: India, States and Union territories, TABLE – 9: Projected urban population by sex as on 1st March, 2011-2036: India, States and Union territories, etc. The parameters available with these census data tables are Census Year, Projected Total Persons with Gender categorization and Projected Urban Population from 2011 to 2036.By subtracting “Projected Urban Population” from “Projected Total Population”, a new data column has been added as “Projected Rural Population”. The data is available for all Union Territory and States for 25 years.A factor has been calculated by taking projected population and the base year population (2011). Subsequently, the factor is calculated for each year using the projected values provided by census of India. Projected Population by Sex as on 1st March - 2011 - 2036: India, States and Union Territories* ('000)YearGUJARAT GUJARAT URBANGUJARAT RURALPersonsMaleFemalePersonMaleFemalePersonMaleFemale2011 60,440 (A) 31,49128,94825,74513,69412,05134,69517,79716,8972012 61,383 (B)32,00729,37626,47214,08112,39134,91117,92616,985Factor has been applied below State level- Projected Population by Sex as on 1st March - 2011 - 2036: India, States and Union Territories* ('000)YearGUJARAT GUJARAT URBANGUJARAT RURALPersonsMaleFemalePersonMaleFemalePersonMaleFemale20121.01560225 (B/A)1.0163856341.0147851321.0282384931.0282605521.0282134261.0062256811.0072484131.005208025Esri India has access to SOI admin boundaries up-to district level and developed village, town and sub-district boundaries using census maps. The calculated factors have been applied to smallest geography at villages and towns and upscaled back to sub-district, district, state, and country. The derived values have been compared with the original values provided by census at state level and no deviation is confirmed.Data Variables: Year (2011-2036)Total Population MaleFemaleTotal Population UrbanMale UrbanFemale UrbanTotal Population RuralMale RuralFemale RuralData source: https://main.mohfw.gov.in/sites/default/files/Population Projection Report 2011-2036 - upload_compressed_0.pdfOther related contents are also available:Village Population Projections for India 2011-2036Sub-district Population Projections for India 2011-2036District Population Projections for India 2011-2036State Population Projections for India 2011-2036Country Population Projections for India 2011-2036This web layer is offered by Esri India, for ArcGIS Online subscribers. If you have any questions or comments, please let us know via content@esri.in.

The percentage distribution for population projections for the age groups * to * reflected a decrease in the year 2036 in comparison to 2011. This could be attributed to the projected declining fertility rates in the country. By contrast, the age groups from 40-44 to **+ reflected an increase in the population projections in 2036 when compared with 2011. This projected increase in geriatric population within the country could be attributed to advancements made in the field of medical sciences, biotechnology and improved health care.

Vital Statistics: Natural Growth Rate: per 1000 Population: Tripura: Urban data was reported at 4.200 NA in 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4.400 NA for 2019. Vital Statistics: Natural Growth Rate: per 1000 Population: Tripura: Urban data is updated yearly, averaging 6.300 NA from Dec 1997 (Median) to 2020, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 9.400 NA in 1998 and a record low of 4.200 NA in 2020. Vital Statistics: Natural Growth Rate: per 1000 Population: Tripura: Urban data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAH004: Vital Statistics: Natural Growth Rate: by States.

Urban population (% of total population) in India was reported at 36.87 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. India - Urban population (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.