Delhi census finds 23.08 million, India may total 1.45 billion
Delhi's latest census says the city has 23.08 million people, 0.6% more than expected.
If this pattern holds nationwide, India's total population could hit 1.45 billion, which is about 14 million higher than official estimates.
That's a bigger jump than anyone thought.
Delhi household growth challenges projections
This isn't just a one-off; government population projections have often missed the mark, sometimes by up to 1.7%.
Delhi also saw households grow by nearly 60% since 2011, meaning more people are living in smaller family units, thanks to urbanization and migration.
If other states follow Delhi's lead, places like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar might see their numbers go up too.
Plus, fertility rates have been higher than predicted until recently, so India's real headcount could be even larger, something that affects everything from government planning to resource allocation.