The fertility rate of a country is the average number of children that women from that country will have throughout their reproductive years. From 1880 until 1970, India's fertility rate was very consistent, and women of this time had an average of 5.7 to six children over the course of their lifetime. In the second half of the twentieth century, the fertility rate dropped considerably, and has continued to drop in the 2000s. This decrease in the rate of fertility follows a common correlation between quality of life and fertility, where the fertility rate decreases as the standard of living improves. In 1947, after almost a century, the Indian independence movement finally achieved its goal, and India was able to self rule. From this point onwards, Indian socio-economic improvements led to a decreased fertility rate, which is expected to fall to 2.2 in 2020.

In India, the crude birth rate in 1880 was 41.5 live births per thousand people, meaning that approximately 4.2 percent of the population had been born in that year. After an initial jump from 40.9 to 46.5 births per thousand between 1885 and 1890, India's crude birth rate remained consistent at just over 45 until the middle of the twentieth century. It was during the late 1940s that India gained its independence from the British Empire, and from this point the crude birth rate has gradually decreased from over 45 births per thousand people in 1945, to below twenty today. In 2020, it is expected to be just 18 births per thousand.

The crude birth rate in India saw no significant changes in 2022 in comparison to the previous year 2021 and remained at around 16.27 live births per 1,000 inhabitants. Yet 2022 saw the lowest rate in India with 16.27 live births per 1,000 inhabitants. The crude birth rate is the annual number of live births divided by the total population, expressed per 1,000 people.Find more statistics on other topics about India with key insights such as death rate, total fertility rate, and life expectancy of women at birth.

India Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: per 1000 Population: Rural data was reported at 22.100 NA in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 22.400 NA for 2015. India Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: per 1000 Population: Rural data is updated yearly, averaging 30.500 NA from Dec 1970 (Median) to 2016, with 47 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 38.900 NA in 1971 and a record low of 22.100 NA in 2016. India Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: per 1000 Population: Rural data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Census of India. The data is categorized under Global Database’s India – Table IN.GAH001: Vital Statistics.

Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: per 1000 Population: Punjab data was reported at 14.300 NA in 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 14.500 NA for 2019. Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: per 1000 Population: Punjab data is updated yearly, averaging 17.000 NA from Dec 1997 (Median) to 2020, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 22.400 NA in 1998 and a record low of 14.300 NA in 2020. Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: per 1000 Population: Punjab 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.GAH002: Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: by States.

Graph and download economic data for Crude Birth Rate for India (SPDYNCBRTININD) from 1960 to 2022 about birth, crude, India, and rate.

The projected crude birth rate in India, at national level, was expected to decrease to about 13 births per thousand people by 2031 to 2035 as opposed to the national crude birth rate from 2011 to 2015 which stood at more than 20 births per thousand people. At state level, Bihar reflected the highest crude birth rate from 2011 to 2015 as well as the highest projected crude birth rate from 2031-2035. By contrast, the states with the lowest projected crude birth rates were Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh during the same time period.

In 2022, the total fertility rate in India remained nearly unchanged at around 2.01 children per woman. Yet 2022 saw the lowest fertility rate in India with 2.01 children per woman. The total fertility rate is the average number of children that a woman of childbearing age (generally considered 15 to 44 years) is expected to have throughout her reproductive years. Unlike birth rates, which are based on the actual number of live births in a given population, fertility rates are estimates (similar to life expectancy) that apply to a hypothetical woman, as they assume that current patterns in age-specific fertility will remain constant throughout her reproductive years.Find more statistics on other topics about India with key insights such as life expectancy of men at birth, death rate, and life expectancy of women at birth.

The data shows the year-wise estimated birth rates, death rates, infant mortality rates by residence by rural, urban and total for the states and union territories of India over the time period of seven years from 2009 to 2015.

Note: Infant Mortality Rate for smaller States & Union Territories are based on three-years period 2013-15.

India Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: per 1000 Population data was reported at 19.500 NA in 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 19.700 NA for 2019. India Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: per 1000 Population data is updated yearly, averaging 28.300 NA from Dec 1970 (Median) to 2020, with 51 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 36.900 NA in 1971 and a record low of 19.500 NA in 2020. India Vital Statistics: Birth 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.

Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: per 1000 Population: Telangana data was reported at 16.400 NA in 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 16.700 NA for 2019. Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: per 1000 Population: Telangana data is updated yearly, averaging 17.200 NA from Dec 2014 (Median) to 2020, with 7 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 18.000 NA in 2014 and a record low of 16.400 NA in 2020. Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: per 1000 Population: Telangana 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.GAH002: Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: by States.

Adolescent fertility rate (births per 1,000 women ages 15-19) in India was reported at 14.18 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. India - Adolescent fertility rate (births per 1,000 women ages 15-19) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2025.

Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: per 1000 Population: Rajasthan data was reported at 23.500 NA in 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 23.700 NA for 2019. Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: per 1000 Population: Rajasthan data is updated yearly, averaging 27.200 NA from Dec 1997 (Median) to 2020, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 31.600 NA in 1998 and a record low of 23.500 NA in 2020. Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: per 1000 Population: Rajasthan 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.GAH002: Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: by States.

Chart and table of India population from 1950 to 2025. United Nations projections are also included through the year 2100.

This scatter chart displays fertility rate (births per woman) against birth rate (per 1,000 people) and is filtered where the country is India and the date is 2021. The data is about countries per year.

The statistic displays the birth rate in India between 2009 and 2013. In 2009, the birth rate was around 19.8 births per 1,000 inhabitants, and has dropped slightly since. The fertility rate or the number of children born per woman in India can be found here.

Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: per 1000 Population: Sikkim: Rural data was reported at 14.000 NA in 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 14.800 NA for 2019. Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: per 1000 Population: Sikkim: Rural data is updated yearly, averaging 18.200 NA from Dec 1997 (Median) to 2020, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 22.300 NA in 2003 and a record low of 14.000 NA in 2020. Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: per 1000 Population: Sikkim: Rural 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.GAH002: Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: by States.

In 2020, the state of Bihar had the highest rural birth rate of 26.2 births per 1,000 inhabitants. It was followed by Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Among the larger states and union territories, the southern state of Kerala had the lowest birth rate in the rural areas that year.

Today, globally, women of childbearing age have an average of approximately 2.2 children over the course of their lifetime. In pre-industrial times, most women could expect to have somewhere between five and ten live births throughout their lifetime; however, the demographic transition then sees fertility rates fall significantly. Looking ahead, it is believed that the global fertility rate will fall below replacement level in the 2050s, which will eventually lead to population decline when life expectancy plateaus. Recent decades Between the 1950s and 1970s, the global fertility rate was roughly five children per woman - this was partly due to the post-WWII baby boom in many countries, on top of already-high rates in less-developed countries. The drop around 1960 can be attributed to China's "Great Leap Forward", where famine and disease in the world's most populous country saw the global fertility rate drop by roughly 0.5 children per woman. Between the 1970s and today, fertility rates fell consistently, although the rate of decline noticeably slowed as the baby boomer generation then began having their own children. Replacement level fertility Replacement level fertility, i.e. the number of children born per woman that a population needs for long-term stability, is approximately 2.1 children per woman. Populations may continue to grow naturally despite below-replacement level fertility, due to reduced mortality and increased life expectancy, however, these will plateau with time and then population decline will occur. It is believed that the global fertility rate will drop below replacement level in the mid-2050s, although improvements in healthcare and living standards will see population growth continue into the 2080s when the global population will then start falling.

In 2020, the northern state of Uttar Pradesh had the highest urban birth rate of 22.1 births per 1,000 inhabitants. It was followed by states of Bihar and Rajasthan. Among other states, Himachal Pradesh had the lowest birth rate in the urban areas that year.