The recent SRS 2024 report shows that India’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) is 1.9, compared to a replacement rate of around 2.2. We are a rapidly ageing society, heading towards fewer working-age adults for every retiree.
Even this understates the scale of India’s pending population decline. Over 500 million Indians — 40% of the population — live in states where TFR is at or below 1.5. There are no signs of a floor; fertility continues to drop in all regions.