After restricting Australia to 260 for six in their allotted 50 overs, India made 261 for five in 47.4 overs to romp home with 14 balls to spare.
Yuvraj Singh made an unbeaten 57 off 65 balls with the help of eight fours and he got valuable support from the left-handed Suresh Raina, who made a confident 34 off 28 balls with the help of two fours and a mighty six off the much-feared Brett Lee.
The two left-handers, who had come together at 187 for five at the fall of Mahendra Singh Dhoni's wicket in the 38th over, kept their cool and put on an unbeaten 74 for the sixth wicket, compiling many runs off singles and twos and punishing the loose deliveries to bring the target, which seemed to be difficult to achieve at one stage, well within their grasp.
In the end, India needed four runs from the last three overs, and it was only just that it was a four from Yuvraj off Lee that took the hosts to victory and ended Australia's 12-year reign as World Cup champions.
Yuvraj Singh, who was also the main wicket-taker for India with two for 44, was yet again chosen Man of the Match for his all-round performance.
As it turned out, it was a sad ending for Australian skipper Ricky Ponting, who finished on the losing side despie the fact that he played a captain's knock with a superb 104, but, ultimately, that effort was not enough.
Australia, who had lost their first World Cup match in 34 outings last week to Pakistan, will now be heading home, while India will travel to Mohali to take on Pakistan next Wednesday.
Opener Virender Sehwag made an early exit after India began the choice, scoring just 15 off 22 balls, with the help of two fours, before he was caught by Michael Hussey off Shane Watson in the 9th over. Sehwag found that the ball had angled in from outside the off-stump and did not have enough room for the intended pull. He ended up top-edging the ball into Hussey's hands at square leg. India were 44 for 1 in 8.1 overs.
Tendulkar made 53 off 68 balls with seven hits to the fence, caught by Haddin off Tait when India were on 94 in 18.1 overs.
Virat Kohli made 24 off 33 balls with one four before he threw his bat at a full toss on the stumps, only to see the ball go to David Hussey at mid-wicket. His departure made it 143 for 3 in 28.3 overs.
Gautam Gambhir left in surprising fashion, setting out for a non-existent run from the non-striker's end after Yuvraj Singh had guided the ball to backward of square. With Yuvraj not responding, Gambhir could not regain his ground and had to return to the pavilion. India appeared to be heading for a crisis at 168 for four in 33.2 overs.
Dhoni had faced only eight balls and contributed just seven before he perished, enticed by Lee to offer an uppish shot to a short ball that went straight to Clarke at point. India were 187 for five in 37.3 overs at that stage.
The required run rate hovered around six an over, and much depended on Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina, with not much batting to follow.
Earlier, skipper Ricky Ponting came into his own finally in the tournament with a superb 104 as the defending champions compiled 260 for six from their allotted 50 overs. Apart from Ponting, the other Australian batsmen who got among the runs today were openers Brad Haddin (53) and Shane Watson (25) and David Hussey (38 not out).
There was a great sense of anticipation as Sehwag and Tendulkar began the chase, with Brett Lee opening the Australian attack. Off the third delivery that he faced, Sehwag hammered the ball through the covers for a four that had the crowd roaring in approval.
At the other end, Tendulkar sends the first ball he faced from Tait to the point boundary for an exquisite four. He then got under another one and upper cut to the third man fence. Eleven runs came off that over.
A little later, Sehwag despatches one from Tait through front of square for a four. At the end of five overs, India were 30 for no loss, averaging six an over, above the required run rate.
The batsmen kept collecting runs in singles and wos, before Tendulkar drove one from Watson and got an outside edge, past the vacant slips, for another four. In the next over, he pulled Johnson through the gap between mid-wicket and mid-on.
The fall of Sehwag's wicket brought the left-handed Gautam Gambhir on the scene and he and Tendulkar now had the responsibility of putting India firmly on target. Tendulkar refused to be affected by Sehwag's dismissal and whacked Watson for four two balls later. At the end of ten overs, India were on 50 for one.
Earlier, in the afternoon in Australian innings, opener Watson, who made 25 off 38 balls with the help of five boundaries, was the first to fall, claimed by off-spinner R Ashwin off the last ball of the 10th over to give India the much-needed breakthrough in the match. Australia were 40 for one in 10 overs at that stage.
Haddin and Ponting then set about the task of piling up a challenging total and they put on 70 runs for the second wicket before Haddin finally fell, caught at cover by Suresh Raina off Yuvraj Singh.
The entire stadium was on its feet, as the batsman, chancing his arm once again, tried to drive the ball with the spin but ended up sending it in the air towards cover, where Raina tumbled foward and brought off a very low catch.
Haddin's well-made 53 came off 62 balls and included six fours and one six. Australia were 110 for two in 22.5 overs when he left.
Earlier, Ashwin had struck just when the Australian opening pair appeared to be settling down. Watson went for a huge sweep against a ball that was slower through the air and turned in to knock back the off-stump after the batsman missed it completely, having played too early.
Industrialist Mukesh Ambani with his wife Nita Ambani watching the India-Australia Cricket World Cup quarter final match at Sardar Patel Stadium at Motera in Ahmedabad on March 24, 2011. UNI PHOTO
Watson and Haddin began on a quiet note this afternoon after Ponting won the toss and opted to bat first in this knock-out match. As a packed stadium, drowned in the Indian tricolour, cheered the hosts on wildly, Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni decided to start the attack with Ashwin, who gave away just three in his first over. Pace bowler Zaheer Khan also conceded just one in the next.
In Ashwin's second over, Shane Watson smashed the last ball wide of Harbhajan Singh at deep mid-wicket for the first four of the innings. He followed this up with another four, this time off the last ball of Khan's next over, sending it through square leg.
Watson seemed to making a habit of it, getting a boundary again off the last ball of Ashwin's next over. This time, he hammered the ball straight back towards the bowler, who could not stop it and the quick outfield did the rest. The Australians were 19 for no loss at the end of the first five overs.
The batsman despatched a slightly over-pitched one from Zaheer Khan in the next over through the gap past short mid-wicket for a sweetly-timed four. At the other end, Haddin came forward and lifted Ashwin over the long-on fence for the first six of the match. The run rate kept improving, as Watson swept Khan past Sachin Tendulkar in the circle at fine leg for another four.
Dhoni brought in off-spinner Harbhajan Singh into the attack and then asked Ashwin to bowl from the other end, and that finally seemed to do the trick as the Indians got rid of Watson.
In an effort to keep the scoreboard ticking, Haddin chipped at one from Ashwin just above Zaheer, moving to his left from mid-win, for a risky four.
Ponting took two off Harbhajan Singh to bring up the 50 of the Australian innings. But Harbhajan generally managed to keep the batsmen quiet.
However, pace bowler Munaf Patel, brought in for the first time, found himself hit to the fence thrice in his first over by Haddin.
A cricket fan with his face and body painted in India colours with Sachin Tendulkar's name and jersey number during the quarter-final match between India and Australia, at Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 24, 2011. UNI PHOTO
The batsman first smashed him past extra cover and then Patel barely had time to get out of the way of a fierce straight shot off the next ball. Two balls later, Haddin hit him over mid-on for another four.
Australia were 70 for one at the end of 15 overs, with Haddin on 36 at that stage.
Ponting took two fours off the second over sent down by Yuvraj Singh, India's most successful spinner in the tournament so far. He came down the track and lofted one off over mid-wicket and then swept a flatter one to the deep mid-wicket fence.
At the other end, Haddin guided a short one from Patel, brought back into the attack, safely down to third man with a superb late cut for four that brought up the 50 of the partnership between him and Ponting. Australia were 95 for one at the end of 20 overs.
Ponting took a single off Yuvraj to bring up the 100 of the Australian innings and Haddin then reached his half-century with with a four to the vacant mid-wicket area off Patel. But he did not last much longer after that. Australia were 116 for two at the half-way mark.
Things quietened down for a bit after Haddin's departure before Ponting moved his front foot into position and hit a superb four over long-on off Patel.
Sachin Tendulkar came on to bowl, making the crowd at the stadium delirious with joy. This was the first time he was bowling for India in ODIs after November 2009 in Guwahati. He conceded five in his first over.
The crowd has something more to cheer in the next over, when Yuvraj claimed Michael Clarke who, attempting a huge swipe, top-edged the ball to Khan, who took a well-judged running catch at mid-wicket. Clarke made just 8 off 19 balls in a total of 140 in 30.4 overs. At the other end, Ponting took a single off Yuvraj to reach his 50, finding form when his team needed it the most.
Mike Hussey, who had joined Ponting in the middle, did not last very long. Khan claimed him with a slower one, castling the batsman as he goes for a heave and misses. He had faced only nine balls and made just three. Australia were 150 for 4 in 33.3 overs and the confidence level of the Indians was pretty high.
Ponting tried to establish his authority over the Indian bowlers, sending Harbhajan Singh to the square leg fence for four, with Yuvraj Singh on the boundary barely making an effort to stop the ball.
Virat Kohli was introduced into the attack, and he conceded six runs -- singles and twos - in his first over.
Dhoni kept shuffling his bowlers, using Yuvraj, Ashwin and then Patel. Ponting chose Yuvraj, bowling his last over, for some punishment, first lofting him over extra cover for six and then thick-edging him past short third man for a four. He then pulled a slightly short delivery from Patel to backward of square leg for another four. Australia were 185 for four after 40 overs.
Tendulkar came on again, and gave away four runs, before Khan struck again in his next, dismissing Cameron White with a difficult return catch. White contributed 12 off 22 balls and Australia were 190 for five in 41.2 overs.
David Hussey, the new man in, heralded his arival with a shot to the fence past short fine leg off Khan.
Ponting took a single in Khan's next over to bring up the 200 of the Australian innings and Hussey then took two consecutive fours off him, first cutting him through point and then whacking him past short fine leg.
Ponting, all confidence today, moved into his 90s with a powerful shot to the long-off fence off Harbhajan. With five overs to go, Australia were on 219 for five.
Hussey lifted Ashwin over wide long-on for a mighty six and Ponting then took a single to reach his 100 to make it a memorable match for him.
The Australian skipper, however, fell soon after, in the 49th over, caught by Khan off Ashwin while attempting a reverse sweep. He ended up sending the ball straight to Khan at short third man. His 104 came off 118 balls and included seven fours and one six. Australia were 245 for six in 48.3 overs.
Harbhajan Singh came on to bowl the last over of the innings, and five wides off the first ball saw the Australians past the psychological mark of 250.
They finally ended up with 260 for six from their 50 overs, setting for India the not too difficult target of getting 261 for a win.
David Hussey was unbeaten on 38 and Mitchell Johnson on 6 at the end.
For the Indians, Yuvraj Singh got two for 44, Ashwin two for 52 and Khan two for 53.
The hosts made one change for today's match, with swashbuckling opener Virender Sehwag returning to the side, after recovering from an injury, in place of Yusuf Pathan.
The defending champions have also made one change, bringing in David Hussey in place of Steve Smith.
Pakistan crushed the West Indies by ten wickets in the first quarter-final at Mirpur, Dhaka yesterday.
The other two quarter-final matches will see South Africa facing New Zealand and Sri Lanka meeting England later this week.
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