New Delhi, July 22 -- India must urgently scale up investments in climate-resilient urban development to protect its cities from mounting climate risks and unlock long-term economic growth, the World Bank has warned.

With the country's urban population set to nearly double, from 480 million in 2020 to 951 million by 2050, Indian cities stand at a pivotal moment, the report titled Towards Resilient and Prosperous Cities in India said on Tuesday, calling for forward-looking, climate-smart urban planning.

"With a doubling of the urban population expected by 2050, from 480 million in 2020 to 951 million, more than half of urban growth, in terms of new infrastructure, buildings and urban services, is still to come," the report noted.

"This ...