India has experienced rapid population growth over the past century, becoming the world’s most populous country in 2023, surpassing China. In 1950, India’s population was approximately 370 million, but by 2024 it has grown to over 1.43 billion people. This growth has been driven by high birth rates, declining mortality rates due to improvements in healthcare, and increased life expectancy. While the population growth rate has slowed in recent decades—falling from over 2% per year in the 1970s to around 1% in 2024—India continues to add millions of people annually. This demographic expansion presents both opportunities and challenges, including a large and youthful workforce, but also increased pressure on resources, infrastructure, and social services.
| Year | Population | Population Density Per Square KM |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 369,880,000 | 124.4 |
| 1955 | 404,267,590 | 136 |
| 1960 | 445,393,249 | 149.8 |
| 1965 | 494,963,596 | 166.5 |
| 1970 | 553,888,763 | 186.3 |
| 1975 | 618,922,643 | 208.2 |
| 1980 | 684,887,703 | 230.4 |
| 1985 | 770,152,274 | 259 |
| 1990 | 864,553,393 | 290.8 |
| 1995 | 957,664,579 | 322.1 |
| 2000 | 1,049,692,922 | 353.1 |
| 2005 | 1,138,451,972 | 382.9 |
| 2010 | 1,220,718,718 | 410.6 |
| 2015 | 1,297,588,343 | 436.4 |
| 2020 | 1,369,541,070 | 460.6 |
| 2022 | 1,389,637,446 | 467.4 |
| 2023 | 1,399,179,585 | 470.6 |
| 2024 | 1,409,128,296 | 473.9 |
| 2025 | 1,419,316,933 | 477.4 |
| 2030 | 1,472,251,252 | 495.2 |
| 2035 | 1,522,819,483 | 512.2 |
| 2040 | 1,564,694,342 | 526.3 |
| 2045 | 1,597,727,086 | 537.4 |
| 2050 | 1,622,372,511 | 545.7 |
| 2055 | 1,638,721,996 | 551.2 |
| 2060 | 1,646,862,071 | 553.9 |
| 2065 | 1,646,993,787 | 553.9 |
| 2070 | 1,639,583,160 | 551.5 |
| 2075 | 1,625,309,976 | 546.7 |
| 2080 | 1,604,695,990 | 539.7 |
| 2085 | 1,578,797,358 | 531 |
| 2090 | 1,549,036,217 | 521 |
| 2095 | 1,516,608,813 | 510.1 |
| 2100 | 1,482,525,207 | 498.6 |
Data from US Census International Database