India’s population has crossed 1.46 billion in 2025, overtaking China as the world's most populous nation, according to the newest UN demographic report.  At the same time, the total fertility rate (TFR) has dipped to 2.0, falling below the replacement threshold of approximately 2.1 children per woman .

This demographic shift signals a profound turning point. While population growth may slow, a vast workforce remains - presenting a "window of opportunity" for economic growth if matched by investments in education, healthcare, and jobs, noted a UNFPA expert .

However, sustained fertility well below replacement can lead over time to population aging, a shrinking labor force, and rising social security costs. Scholars caution that India must now pivot: prioritizing female literacy, access to reproductive healthcare, and urban job creation to harness its demographic dividend.

India's trajectory - from population surge to stabilisation - marks a critical stage. Responsibility now lies in policy foresight: nurturing the current generation, preparing for future aging, and ensuring that demographic change becomes a catalyst - not a crisis.