Athnova CareElderly parents living alone: the numbers for India and for families abroad (2026)
India has 149 million people over 60, heading for 347 million by 2050, and 37 million Indians live abroad. The key figures, with sources, in one place.
By the Athnova Care team · Updated
The short version
- 149 million people in India were 60 or older in 2022 — 10.5% of the population (India Ageing Report 2023, UNFPA and IIPS).
- By 2050 that will be 347 million, or 20.8%: more than one person in five (same report).
- Around 2046, India is expected to have more people over 60 than children under 15 (same report).
- About 5.7% of Indians aged 60 and over live alone (Longitudinal Ageing Study in India, wave 1) — roughly 8.5 million people at the 2022 count. That last figure is our own arithmetic: 5.7% of 149 million.
- 18.7% of older people in India have no income of their own, and more than 40% are in the poorest fifth of households (India Ageing Report 2023).
- 37.3 million overseas Indians: 17.8 million Indian citizens living abroad (NRIs) and 19.5 million people of Indian origin (PIOs) — Ministry of External Affairs, January 2026.
- Worldwide, one person in six will be 60 or older by 2030, and the number of people aged 80 and over is expected to reach 426 million by 2050 (World Health Organization).
Where Indians abroad live
The largest communities, from the Ministry of External Affairs table (data as of January 2026). NRIs are Indian citizens living abroad; the total also counts people of Indian origin who hold another citizenship.
| Country | NRIs (Indian citizens) | All overseas Indians |
|---|---|---|
| United Arab Emirates | 4,326,248 | 4,344,008 |
| Saudi Arabia | 2,747,551 | 2,750,551 |
| United States | 2,311,484 | 6,079,221 |
| Canada | 1,388,300 | 3,247,980 |
| Kuwait | 1,036,389 | 1,038,745 |
| Qatar | 830,491 | 830,491 |
| Oman | 676,781 | 678,837 |
| Singapore | 450,000 | 483,199 |
| United Kingdom | 369,000 | 1,282,836 |
| Bahrain | 315,427 | 320,226 |
| Germany | 300,000 | 364,013 |
| New Zealand | 157,000 | 300,000 |
| Australia | 125,903 | 845,800 |
The ministry's figures are estimates gathered by Indian missions and change between editions; treat them as approximate.
What the numbers mean for families
Two trends meet in these figures. India's older population is growing fast and will double within a generation, while tens of millions of their children and grandchildren live in another country — most of them in the Gulf, North America and the UK. Many parents who do not live alone live only with a spouse, one fall or illness away from living alone.
For the family abroad, the practical question is not the statistic but the signal: how would you know, today, that your parent is up and well — and who near them would act if they were not?
How to cite this page
Athnova Care (2026). "Elderly parents living alone: the numbers for India and for families abroad." https://athnova.in/guides/elderly-parents-living-alone-statistics/ — please cite the original sources below as well; each figure comes from one of them.
Questions families ask
How many senior citizens are there in India?
149 million people aged 60 and over in 2022, 10.5% of the population. The India Ageing Report 2023 projects 347 million (20.8%) by 2050.
How many elderly people live alone in India?
About 5.7% of people aged 60 and over, according to the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (wave 1) — roughly 8.5 million people when applied to the 2022 count of 149 million.
How many NRIs are there?
The Ministry of External Affairs counts 17.8 million NRIs and 19.5 million people of Indian origin: 37.3 million overseas Indians in all (data as of January 2026).
Which country has the most NRIs?
The United Arab Emirates, with about 4.3 million, followed by Saudi Arabia and the United States. Counting people of Indian origin as well, the United States has the largest community, about 6.1 million.
How many people in the world are over 60?
About 1 billion in 2020, rising to 1.4 billion by 2030 — one person in six — and 2.1 billion by 2050, according to the World Health Organization.
Sources
- UNFPA India — India Ageing Report 2023 (with IIPS)
- The National — India will be home to 347 million elderly people by 2050
- IIPS — Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI), wave 1: elderly in India
- Down To Earth — Highest rate of seniors living alone in Tamil Nadu, Nagaland (LASI)
- Ministry of External Affairs — Population of overseas Indians
- World Health Organization — Ageing and health (fact sheet, 1 October 2025)
Related guides
- Daily check-ins for elderly parents living alone in India
- Loneliness in parents who live alone: what helps from far away
- How to look after elderly parents in India while living in the USA
- Looking after parents in India from Dubai and the UAE
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