India’s Population Hits 1.46 Billion As Fertility Rate Drops

NEW DELHI (IANS) – India’s population is projected to reach 1.46 billion in 2025, making it the world’s most populous nation, according to the United Nations Population Fund’s State of World Population 2025 report released on June 10.

The report highlights a key demographic shift: India’s total fertility rate (TFR) has declined to 1.9 births per woman, falling below the replacement level of 2.1, which is needed to maintain population size without migration. This marks a continued drop from the 2.0 TFR recorded in 2020, per India’s Sample Registration System (SRS) 2021 data.

Despite this decline, India’s population is projected to grow further, reaching approximately 1.7 billion before gradually decreasing. The country’s doubling time—the period required for the population to double—now stands at 79 years, signaling a slower growth rate.

The demographic breakdown shows that 24% of the population is aged 0–14, while 26% falls within the 10–24 age group. People aged 15–64 make up 68%, and those 65 and older comprise 7% of the population.

Life expectancy at birth is estimated at 71 years for men and 74 years for women as of 2025.

India’s shift to lower fertility is attributed to increased access to reproductive healthcare and improved education.

“India has made significant progress in lowering fertility rates—from nearly five children per woman in 1970 to about two today,” said Andrea M. Wojnar, UNFPA India Representative.
“This has led to major reductions in maternal mortality, meaning millions more mothers are alive today, raising children and building communities,” she added.

The eport emphasizes that the real global concern is not population size, but ensuring individuals have the freedom and resources to decide if, when, and how many children to have.