Total population (thousands) in India
India: Total population (thousands) was 1.46 million thousands in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
1.46 million thousands
Change on year
up 0.9%
World rank
1st
of 233 countries
All-time high
1.46 million thousands
in 2025
All-time low
539,538 thousands
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Total population in India, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in thousands.
Analysis
The most recent figure for total population in India is 1.46 million thousands, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.9% on the previous year and up 10.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total population in India peaked at 1.46 million thousands in 2025 and was at its lowest, 539,538 thousands, in 1970.
India ranks 1st of 233 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Total population (thousands) in India, year by year
| Year | thousands | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 539,538 thousands | — |
| 1971 | 552,190 thousands | +2.3% |
| 1972 | 564,003 thousands | +2.1% |
| 1973 | 576,962 thousands | +2.3% |
| 1974 | 589,970 thousands | +2.3% |
| 1975 | 604,113 thousands | +2.4% |
| 1976 | 618,506 thousands | +2.4% |
| 1977 | 633,218 thousands | +2.4% |
| 1978 | 648,384 thousands | +2.4% |
| 1979 | 663,072 thousands | +2.3% |
| 1980 | 679,239 thousands | +2.4% |
| 1981 | 695,469 thousands | +2.4% |
| 1982 | 711,924 thousands | +2.4% |
| 1983 | 728,703 thousands | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 746,042 thousands | +2.4% |
| 1985 | 763,709 thousands | +2.4% |
| 1986 | 781,587 thousands | +2.3% |
| 1987 | 799,793 thousands | +2.3% |
| 1988 | 818,069 thousands | +2.3% |
| 1989 | 836,616 thousands | +2.3% |
| 1990 | 855,463 thousands | +2.3% |
| 1991 | 874,482 thousands | +2.2% |
| 1992 | 893,373 thousands | +2.2% |
| 1993 | 912,541 thousands | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 931,696 thousands | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 950,632 thousands | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 969,970 thousands | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 989,386 thousands | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 1.01 million thousands | +2.0% |
| 1999 | 1.03 million thousands | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 1.05 million thousands | +1.9% |
| 2001 | 1.07 million thousands | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 1.09 million thousands | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 1.11 million thousands | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 1.13 million thousands | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 1.15 million thousands | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 1.16 million thousands | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 1.18 million thousands | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 1.20 million thousands | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 1.22 million thousands | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 1.23 million thousands | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 1.25 million thousands | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 1.27 million thousands | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 1.29 million thousands | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 1.30 million thousands | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 1.32 million thousands | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 1.34 million thousands | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 1.35 million thousands | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 1.37 million thousands | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 1.38 million thousands | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 1.40 million thousands | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 1.41 million thousands | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 1.42 million thousands | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 1.43 million thousands | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 1.44 million thousands | +0.9% |
| 2025 | 1.46 million thousands | +0.9% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 1.46 million thousands is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 12,314 thousands, 118.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- India's 1.46 million thousands is above the median for South Asia, which is 26,398 thousands, 55.2× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 598,996 thousands | 539,538 thousands | 663,072 thousands | 10 |
| 1980s | 756,115 thousands | 679,239 thousands | 836,616 thousands | 10 |
| 1990s | 941,487 thousands | 855,463 thousands | 1.03 million thousands | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.13 million thousands | 1.05 million thousands | 1.22 million thousands | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.31 million thousands | 1.23 million thousands | 1.38 million thousands | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.43 million thousands | 1.40 million thousands | 1.46 million thousands | 6 |
Countries ranked near India
More population data for India
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.5076 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.2494 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.5076 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.4607 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 1.67 million Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.7665 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.7604 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.5% (2100)
- Population density 506.27 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 66.77 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total population in India?
- Total population in India was 1.46 million thousands in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest total population recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 1.46 million thousands in 2025.
- What is the lowest total population recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 539,538 thousands in 1970.
- How does India rank for total population?
- India ranks 1st out of 233 countries with data for 2025.
- Is total population rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Total population (thousands). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release