Population trends for major religious groups (1961–2001)

Statistics

Map of the British Indian Empire in 1909, shaded by prevailing religion.

See also: Demographics of India

Population trends for major religious groups (1961–2001)

Religious group	Population % 1961	Population % 1971	Population % 1981	Population % 1991	Population % 2001
Hindu	83.45%	82.73%	82.30%	81.53%	80.46%
Muslim	10.69%	11.21%	11.75%	12.61%	13.43%
Christian	2.44%	2.60%	2.44%	2.32%	2.34%
Sikh	1.79%	1.89%	1.92%	1.94%	1.87%
Buddhist	0.74%	0.70%	0.70%	0.77%	0.77%
Animist, others	0.43%	0.41%	0.42%	0.44%	0.72%
Jain	0.46%	0.48%	0.47%	0.40%	0.41%