Life expectancy at birth in India
India: Life expectancy at birth was 72 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
72 years
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
152nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
72 years
in 2023
All-time low
41.18 years
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
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.
Life expectancy at birth in India, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 41.18 years | — |
| 1951 | 41.59 years | +1.0% |
| 1952 | 42.09 years | +1.2% |
| 1953 | 42.39 years | +0.7% |
| 1954 | 43.25 years | +2.0% |
| 1955 | 43.74 years | +1.1% |
| 1956 | 44.13 years | +0.9% |
| 1957 | 44.41 years | +0.6% |
| 1958 | 44.78 years | +0.8% |
| 1959 | 45.26 years | +1.1% |
| 1960 | 45.61 years | +0.8% |
| 1961 | 45.82 years | +0.5% |
| 1962 | 46.13 years | +0.7% |
| 1963 | 46.46 years | +0.7% |
| 1964 | 46.74 years | +0.6% |
| 1965 | 45.56 years | -2.5% |
| 1966 | 45.88 years | +0.7% |
| 1967 | 46.18 years | +0.7% |
| 1968 | 47.92 years | +3.8% |
| 1969 | 48.26 years | +0.7% |
| 1970 | 48.59 years | +0.7% |
| 1971 | 48.9 years | +0.7% |
| 1972 | 49.21 years | +0.6% |
| 1973 | 49.64 years | +0.9% |
| 1974 | 50.26 years | +1.2% |
| 1975 | 50.76 years | +1.0% |
| 1976 | 51.3 years | +1.1% |
| 1977 | 51.82 years | +1.0% |
| 1978 | 52.42 years | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 53.01 years | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 53.59 years | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 54.17 years | +1.1% |
| 1982 | 54.73 years | +1.0% |
| 1983 | 55.28 years | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 55.81 years | +1.0% |
| 1985 | 56.32 years | +0.9% |
| 1986 | 56.82 years | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 57.29 years | +0.8% |
| 1988 | 57.74 years | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 58.2 years | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 58.62 years | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 59.03 years | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 59.45 years | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 59.82 years | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 60.24 years | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 60.63 years | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 61.03 years | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 61.44 years | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 61.85 years | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 62.28 years | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 62.75 years | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 63.16 years | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 63.65 years | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 64.09 years | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 64.48 years | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 64.94 years | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 65.37 years | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 65.8 years | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 66.25 years | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 66.7 years | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 67.16 years | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 67.62 years | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 68.08 years | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 68.5 years | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 68.93 years | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 69.33 years | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 69.71 years | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 70.07 years | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 70.42 years | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 70.75 years | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 70.16 years | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 67.28 years | -4.1% |
| 2022 | 71.7 years | +6.6% |
| 2023 | 72 years | +0.4% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 72 years is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 67.65 years, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- India's 72 years is below the median for South Asia, which is 73.82 years, 98% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
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
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.12 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.4372 % change on previous year (2090)
- 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)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 38 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.3809 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0372 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.5922 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (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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About this data
Period life expectancy at birth.