Life expectancy at birth in India
India: Life expectancy at birth was 72 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Life expectancy at birth in India, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for life expectancy at birth in India is 72 years, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 5.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy at birth in India peaked at 72 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 41.18 years, in 1950.
India ranks 152nd of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 43.28 years | 41.18 years | 45.26 years | 10 |
| 1960s | 46.46 years | 45.56 years | 48.26 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 50.59 years | 48.59 years | 53.01 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 56 years | 53.59 years | 58.2 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 60.44 years | 58.62 years | 62.28 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 64.72 years | 62.75 years | 66.7 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.06 years | 67.16 years | 70.75 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 70.28 years | 67.28 years | 72 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near India
- 149 Saint Kitts and Nevis 72.14 years compare
- 150 Syria 72.12 years compare
- 151 El Salvador 72.1 years compare
- 153 Tajikistan 71.79 years compare
- 154 Mongolia 71.73 years compare
- 155 Samoa 71.7 years compare
More health data for India
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,332 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 44,822 deaths (2100)
- Deaths in armed conflicts based on where they occurred 76 deaths (2026)
- Deaths in armed conflicts by region 76 deaths (2026)
- Age population, age 25, male, interpolated 13.43 million (2025)
- Age population, age 25, female, interpolated 12.16 million (2025)
- Age population, age 24, male, interpolated 13.62 million (2025)
- Age population, age 24, female, interpolated 12.35 million (2025)
- Age population, age 23, male, interpolated 13.69 million (2025)
- Age population, age 23, female, interpolated 12.44 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy at birth in India?
- Life expectancy at birth in India was 72 years in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest life expectancy at birth recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 72 years in 2023.
- What is the lowest life expectancy at birth recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 41.18 years in 1950.
- How does India rank for life expectancy at birth?
- India ranks 152nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life expectancy at birth rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Life expectancy at birth. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Period life expectancy at birth.