# How many people live in India? > From 43.6 crore in 1960 to 145.1 crore in 2024, but growth has halved as fertility drops below replacement. **India's population: 145.1 crore and slowing fast** India's population reached 145.1 crore in 2024, up from 43.6 crore in 1960. But the annual growth rate has fallen from 2.4% to 0.9% as the fertility rate declined from 5.92 to 1.96 births per woman. The population is also getting older: median age rose from 21.2 in 2000 to a projected 30.8 by 2030. This shift opens a demographic dividend window, but the old-age dependency ratio is already rising. The numbers come from World Bank and UN estimates, not the national census. ## How many people live in India today? India's population stood at 145.1 crore in 2024, according to the World Bank. That is up from 43.6 crore in 1960, more than tripling in six decades. But the rate of addition has changed dramatically. The line chart shows a steep climb through the 1970s and 1980s, then a gentle flattening after 2000. The absolute number keeps rising, but the percentage growth is now much lower. These are estimates from the World Bank; the official Census of India may differ slightly. ## Who are these people? A look at the age and sex breakdown. The population pyramid for 2025 (based on UN projections) reveals who lives in India. The widest bars are in the middle age groups (20-35 years), reflecting the large working-age population. There are more males than females in most age groups, a pattern shaped by sex ratio at birth and mortality differences. The pyramid is no longer a classic triangle: the base (children 0-4) is narrower than the middle, showing the effect of falling fertility. This shape is typical of a country transitioning from high to low birth rates. Currently, 68.2% of Indians are of working age (15-64), while 24.6% are children and 7.1% are elderly. ## How fast is the population still growing? The annual growth rate has fallen from 2.4% in 1961 to 0.9% in 2024. The line chart makes this decline clear. Even at 0.9%, the absolute increase remains large because the base is huge. But the trend is unmistakable: growth is slowing. The main driver is the steep drop in fertility, which we look at next. ## Why is growth slowing? The dramatic fall in fertility. The fertility rate (the average number of children a woman would have during her reproductive years) in India has fallen from 5.92 births per woman in 1960 to 1.96 in 2024. This means the average woman today has fewer than two children, compared to nearly six in 1960. This decline is the single biggest reason for the slowdown in population growth. However, population momentum means the number of people continues to rise even after fertility drops, because the large number of young women from earlier high-fertility years are still having children. ## What is the age structure of India today? As of 2024, children (0-14) make up 24.6% of the population, working-age adults (15-64) 68.2%, and the elderly (65+) 7.1%. These shares are very different from 1960 when children were 40.6% and elderly just 3.3%. The working-age group dominates today, which is the heart of India's potential demographic dividend. But not everyone in that age group is employed, and the share of elderly is slowly rising. ## How old is India on average? The median age (the age that splits the population into two equal halves) has risen from 21.2 years in 2000 to a projected 30.8 years by 2030. That means India is getting older on average, even though it is still young compared to many countries. A rising median age reflects both lower fertility and longer life expectancy. This trend will continue: by 2030, half of Indians will be over 31. ## How has India's age mix shifted over time? The share of children has been falling steadily, from 40.6% in 1960 to 24.6% in 2024. The working-age share has risen from 56.1% to 68.2% in the same period. The elderly share has more than doubled from 3.3% to 7.1%. This shift (fewer children, more workers, slowly more elderly) opened India's demographic dividend window. The gap between workers and dependents is wide now, but it will narrow as the elderly share grows. ## How long do Indians live now? Life expectancy at birth has improved from 62.8 years in 2000 to a projected 73.6 years by 2030. Women live longer than men: 75.4 years vs 72.0 in 2030. This increase means people are living longer lives, which contributes to the aging of the population. Better healthcare, nutrition, and sanitation are likely drivers, though the data does not specify causes. Rising life expectancy also increases the number of elderly, affecting pension and health systems. ## How many more years can a 60-year-old expect? Once a person reaches 60, they can expect to live additional years. In 2021, a 60-year-old woman could expect 16.5 more years, a man 14.8 years. These numbers are important for pension planning and healthcare. Life expectancy at age 60 has been rising, though the latest data (2021) shows a slight dip compared to 2019, possibly due to the pandemic. The long-term trend is upward. ## How is child survival improving? The under-five mortality rate has fallen to 27.8 per 1,000 live births in 2023, and the infant mortality rate to 24.5 per 1,000 live births. Both rates continue to decline, meaning more children are surviving their early years. The improvement is substantial, but rates remain higher among poorer households. For example, the under-five mortality rate in the poorest wealth quintile is 42.2 per 1,000, compared to 14.3 in the richest. ## How many children does each worker support? The child dependency ratio (the number of children aged 0-14 per 100 working-age adults aged 15-64) has fallen sharply from 59.2 in 2000 to a projected 32.4 in 2030. That means each worker today has fewer children to support than in the past. This decline is a direct result of falling fertility. It lightens the economic burden on families and the state, but the quality of education and healthcare spending remains a challenge. ## How many elderly does each worker support? The old-age dependency ratio (the number of people 65+ per 100 working-age adults) has risen from 7.3 in 2000 to a projected 12.4 in 2030. This ratio is still low but rising steadily. As life expectancy increases and the large working-age cohorts enter old age, the ratio will climb. India will need to invest in pension systems and healthcare for the elderly. ## What will India's population be in 2030? UN projections for 2030 range from 150.4 crore (low-fertility scenario) to 154.7 crore (high-fertility scenario). The median projection is 152.5 crore. The difference of about 4.3 crore between the low and high scenarios shows how sensitive the future is to fertility trends. If fertility stays near current levels, the median is most likely. But social change and economic conditions could push numbers either way. ## Sources - World Bank: 'Population, total' (SP.POP.TOTL) for India, annual estimates 1960-2024. - UN Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, including median projections and scenario variants. - WHO Global Health Observatory: under-five mortality, infant mortality, and life expectancy at age 60. - These are model-based estimates, not official Indian Census or Sample Registration System data. --- Source: [This Indian Life](https://thisindianlife.today/articles/how-many-people-live-in-india/) · Updated 2026-06-01. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Please cite as "This Indian Life — https://thisindianlife.today".