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"It's hard to imagine a life without playing cricket because it's all I've ever done since I was 11," he said.
Tendulkar is the highest scorer in both Tests and ODIs, with 15,837 runs in 198 Tests and 18,426 runs in 463 ODIs.
He made his international debut aged 16 in November 1989 and last year became the only batsman in the history of the game to reach 100 international centuries.
"All my life, I have had a dream of playing cricket for India. I have been living this dream every day for the last 24 years," Tendulkar said.
He played his final Twenty20 match last weekend in the Champions League T20 final between his Mumbai Indians team and a Rajasthan Royals side led by another former India skipper, his long-standing team-mate Rahul Dravid.
Tendulkar's final appearances will also take place in India and he said: "It's been a huge honour to have represented my country and played all over the world. I look forward to playing my 200th Test match on home soil, as I call it a day."
He also holds the record for the most number of Test appearances, with Australians Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh joint second on 168, followed by Rahul Dravid (164) and South African Jacques Kallis, who is still playing, on 162.
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Cricket legends rate Tendulkar
The president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, N Srinivasan, said: "He is without doubt the greatest cricketer India has produced.
"In fact, one should really say he ranks among the top of all-time great sportspersons in the world. No one has served Indian cricket as Sachin has.
"He has truly been an ambassador for India and Indian cricket. He has been an inspiration for generations of sportsmen, not just cricketers.
"We respect his decision to retire, although many of us can't imagine an Indian team without Sachin."
Tendulkar was tipped for greatness from an early age, and whilst still at school in 1988 he made an unbeaten 326 in a stand of 664 with Vinod Kambli in the semi-finals of the Harris Shield.
Tendulkar fact file
1973: Born in Bombay (now Mumbai) on 24 April
1989: Makes Test debut for India against Pakistan, aged 16
1990: Scores first Test century, against England
1998: Scores first double century for Mumbai against Australia
2005: Passes Sunil Gavaskar's record of highest number of Test centuries
2008: Becomes the highest run-scorer in Test cricket, passing West Indies' Brian Lara's mark of 11,953
2010: Becomes the most capped player in Test history
2011: Wins the World Cup with India
2012: Scores his 100th international century in ODI v Bangladesh in March; retires from ODIs in December
2013: Announces retirement from cricket
His first Test century came in his 14th innings and was against England at Old Trafford in 1990.
There were six double centuries, the first of which came against New Zealand in 1999 and the most recent a 214 against Australia in Bangalore in October 2010, with his highest score an unbeaten 248 against Bangladesh in 2004.
Tendulkar racked up 16 Test hundreds before he turned 25 and in 2000 became the first man to score 50 international tons, while in 2010 he became the first double centurion in a one-day international.
It was hoped his 100th international hundred would be in the 2,000th Test match, which was against England at the home of cricket, Lord's, in 2011 but he was dismissed for 34 and 12 and the feat was achieved in an ODI the following year.
One of his most memorable Test centuries was an unbeaten 103 that inspired India to victory against England in December 2008and came shortly after terror attacks hit his home city of Mumbai.
Tendulkar was popular across the world, and in 1992 became the first overseas player to sign for Yorkshire, scoring more than 1,000 runs in the summer.
BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew said on Twitter: "Perfect symmetry to Sachin's retirement: 200th Test, not confirmed, surely to be played in Mumbai. Also a charming man to deal with, which I have been fortunate to do many times."
Former England captain Michael Vaughan tweeted: "One of the greatest ever Sachin Tendulkar is retiring. One of my heroes and an absolute joy to play against."
And England batsman Kevin Pietersen also took to Twitter to dub Tendulkar: "Undisputed Champion of Cricket!"
Tendulkar in numbers
Test matches (198)
He has scored 15,837 runs at an average of53.86, hitting 51 tons and 67 half centuries. His top score was an unbeaten 248 against Bangladesh in Dhaka in December 2004
One-day internationals (463)
He has scored 18,426 runs at an average of 44.83 and a strike rate of 86.23. He has scored 49 centuries (highest score 200) and 96 fifties
He has scored 15,837 runs at an average of53.86, hitting 51 tons and 67 half centuries. His top score was an unbeaten 248 against Bangladesh in Dhaka in December 2004
One-day internationals (463)
He has scored 18,426 runs at an average of 44.83 and a strike rate of 86.23. He has scored 49 centuries (highest score 200) and 96 fifties
Twenty20 internationals
He only made one international appearance in the shortest form of the game, scoring 12 from 15 balls against South Africa in December 2006
He only made one international appearance in the shortest form of the game, scoring 12 from 15 balls against South Africa in December 2006
Fact file
1973: Born in Bombay (now Mumbai) on 24 April
1989: Makes Test debut for India against Pakistan, aged 16
1990: Scores first Test century, against England
1998: Scores first double century for Mumbai against Australia
2005: Passes Sunil Gavaskar's record of highest number of Test centuries
2008: Becomes the highest run-scorer in Test cricket, passing West Indies' Brian Lara's mark of 11,953
2010: Becomes the most capped player in Test history
2011: Wins the World Cup with India
2012: Scores his 100th international century in ODI v Bangladesh in March; retires from ODIs in December
2013: Announces retirement from cricket
1989: Makes Test debut for India against Pakistan, aged 16
1990: Scores first Test century, against England
1998: Scores first double century for Mumbai against Australia
2005: Passes Sunil Gavaskar's record of highest number of Test centuries
2008: Becomes the highest run-scorer in Test cricket, passing West Indies' Brian Lara's mark of 11,953
2010: Becomes the most capped player in Test history
2011: Wins the World Cup with India
2012: Scores his 100th international century in ODI v Bangladesh in March; retires from ODIs in December
2013: Announces retirement from cricket
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