Population of India

As of May 2026, the population of India is 1.5 billion. The number of inhabitants has increased by 12 million in the last year, representing a growth of 0.87%. The median age of the population has increased in recent years, rising from 25.9 years in 2016 to 29.4 years in 2026. Currently, life expectancy at birth is 72.8 years and population density is 493.5 inhabitants per square kilometer.

Population Growth

The population growth rate of India peaked in 1962, reaching around 2.31% annually, but has since declined to approximately 0.85% in 2026. The annual increase in the number of people has also decreased from a peak of around 19.43 million in 2001 to nearly 12.46 million in 2026.

Life Expectancy

In India, life expectancy at birth has been increasing, with the indicator rising from 65.4 years in 2006 to 72.8 years in 2026, representing an increase of more than 7 years over the past 2 decades.

Most populous cities in India

India has multiple large cities with a significant number of inhabitants, including 5 with more than 5 million. The most populous city is Mumbai, Maharashtra, with approximately 12.7 million inhabitants. It is followed by Delhi with 11 million and Bengaluru, Karnataka with 8.5 million.

These are the 20 most populous cities in India: