The population of Muslims has grown more rapidly compared to Hindus in terms of growth rate, but it is also noteworthy that the fertility rate has declined.
Muslim Population in India: India will have the world’s largest Muslim population by 2050, according to a report published by the American research firm Pew Research in 2015. The report reveals that India’s total population is expected to be around 1.66 billion by 2050. The population of Hindus is likely to reach 1.3 billion, while the Muslim population may grow to 310 million. At that time, 11 percent of the world’s total Muslim population will be in India alone.
It is important to note that currently, Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world. According to Pew Research, by 2050, India could become the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country.
The report further added that the Muslim population is expected to be seven times larger than today.
Here are some of the details:
- India’s population grew rapidly, increasing by 17.7 percent between 2001 and 2011
- Among all religious communities, the Muslim population grew the fastest, rising by 25 percent during this period.
- In contrast, the growth rate of the Hindu population was recorded at less than 17 percent
- From 1951 to 2011, India’s Muslim population increased by 386 percent, rising from 35.4 million (3.54 crores) to 172.2 million (17.22 crores).
- Hindu population grew by 218 percent, increasing from 303.5 million (30.35 crores) to 966.2 million (96.62 crores) in 2011.
- The Sikh population grew by 235 percent, while the Christian population saw a 232 percent increase.
The population of Muslims has grown more rapidly compared to Hindus in terms of growth rate, but it is also noteworthy that the fertility rate has declined. In 1992-93, the fertility rate of Hindu women was 3.3, while for Muslim women, it was 4.4.
By 2022, the fertility rate of Hindu women had dropped to 1.9, while for Muslim women, it was 2.3. However, over the past 30 years, the birth rate among Muslim women has declined by 47 percent, while among Hindu women, it has decreased by 42 percent.
