India set to become world's most populous country by 2050

India is set to become world's most populous country in the world by 2050 with a population of nearly 1.6 billion people.

The revelation was made in a French study which estimated that the population globally is estimated to rise to 9.7 billion in 2050 from the current level of 7.1 billion.

The bi-annual report by the French Institute of Demographic Studies revealed that India will overtake China as the world's most populous nation.

According to the telegraph, the study projected there will be 10 to 11 billion people on the planet by the end of the century.

The projection is same as the forecasts by the United Nations, the World Bank and other prominent national institutes.

The French institute said that Africa will be home to a quarter of the world's population in 2050, with 2.5 billion people, more than double the current level of 1.1 billion.

He revealed that Asia's population will increase from 4.3 billion to 5.2 billion in 2050.

The world's most populous nations are currently China with 1.3 billion people; followed by India, 1.2 billion,; the U.S., 316.2 million,; Indonesia, 248.5 million and Brazil, 195.5 million.

But in 2050, India will take pole position with 1.6 billion people.

China will be in second place at 1.3 billion.

Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, will outstrip the US with a population of 444 million against a projected 400 million Americans in the middle of the century, the report added.