India's population will rise to a massive 1.53 billion by 2050, overtaking China and making the country the world's most populous nation.
According to a report by the National Commission on Population, India's population is expected to reach 1.19 billion by 2011, 1.27 billion by 2016, 1.34 billion by 2021 and 1.4 billion by 2026.
"India is estimated to increase its population by 18 million every year," Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha today.
The minister said the Family Welfare Programme in India is voluntary in nature, which enables a couple to adopt the family planning methods best suited to them according to their choice without any compulsion.
