While India remains the most populous country, with an estimated 1.46 billion people in 2025, the nation&rsquo;s total fertility rate has declined to 1.9&mdash;below the replacement level of 2.1&mdash;according to the latest report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) released on Tuesday.
The 2025 State of World Population (SOWP) report stresses that the true concern lies not in population size, but in the systemic challenges impeding individuals&rsquo; rights to decide freely and responsibly if, when, and how many children to have.
The report estimates India&rsquo;s current population at 1,463.9 million.
&ldquo;India is now the world&rsquo;s most populous nation, with nearly 1.5 billion people&mdash;a figure projected to rise to approximately 1.7 billion before beginning to decline,&rdquo; it states.
India&rsquo;s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) now stands at 1.9 children per woman. On average, a woman in India is expected to bear fewer than two children during her reproductive years (typically aged 15&ndash;49). This marks a continued decline since the rate held steady at 2.0 from 2020, according to the 2021 Sample Registration System (SRS) report.
This decline indicates that Indian women are, on average, having fewer children than required to sustain population levels without inward migration.
Despite a declining birth rate, India maintains a large youth population: 24% are aged 0&ndash;14, 17% fall in the 10&ndash;19 bracket, and 26% are within the 10&ndash;24 range.
Currently, 68% of the population falls within the working-age group (15&ndash;64), while 7% are aged 65 and above.
As of 2025, life expectancy at birth is projected at 71 years for men and 74 years for women.
India is grouped among middle-income countries experiencing swift demographic transition, with the population doubling time now estimated at 79 years.
&ldquo;India has made notable strides in reducing fertility rates&mdash;from nearly five children per woman in 1970 to about two today&mdash;thanks to better education and enhanced access to reproductive healthcare,&rdquo; said Andrea M. Wojnar, UNFPA India Representative.
&ldquo;This progress has significantly reduced maternal mortality, meaning millions more mothers are alive today, nurturing families and strengthening communities,&rdquo; Wojnar added.
(Apart from Headline and Strap, this article is not edited by the Benefit News Team, this news is republished from IANS feed)
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India's  population (Representative image)

UNFPA report says India's birth rate drops to 1.9; youth base remains demographically vital

India’s Fertility Rate Falls Below Replacement Level

UNFPA report says India's birth rate drops to 1.9; youth base remains demographically vital

June 10, 2025 | 14:57 IST