New Delhi, July 11: India’s population challenges should be viewed through the lens of rights, justice, and opportunity rather than fear and crisis, the Population Foundation of India (PFI) said on Friday, marking World Population Day 2025 with a call for a shift in policy focus.
Under the global theme “Empowering young people to create the families they want in a fair and hopeful world,” the non-governmental organisation urged an end to alarmist debates over overpopulation and fertility decline, advocating instead for people-centred and gender-inclusive policies.
“India’s population story is not a crisis, it’s a crossroads,” said Poonam Muttreja, Executive Director of PFI. “We must stop oscillating between fears of ‘overpopulation’ and ‘population collapse,’ and instead focus on gender equality, reproductive autonomy, and inclusive public investment.”
The foundation outlined three priority areas for policymakers: achieving the gender dividend, harnessing the demographic dividend, and preparing for the ageing population—referred to as the “silver dividend.”
PFI stressed the need to move beyond reliance on female sterilisation and promote a broader range of contraceptive options, with an emphasis on shared responsibility between men and women. “Reproductive health is a shared responsibility. We need men to be part of the solution—not just as supporters but as active participants,” Muttreja said.
India, with over 250 million young people, has the potential to reap a demographic dividend by investing in education, skills training, reproductive health, and mental well-being, particularly for adolescent girls, the organisation noted.
At the same time, PFI highlighted the urgency of addressing the needs of an ageing population. By 2050, nearly one in five Indians will be over 60, necessitating stronger systems for elder care, healthcare, pensions, and age-friendly infrastructure.
Although India’s total fertility rate (TFR) has declined to 2.0, more than 24 million married women still lack access to contraceptives. Early marriage and unsafe abortions continue to restrict reproductive choices, especially in states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. In contrast, southern states such as Kerala and Tamil Nadu face declining fertility and ageing populations.
Calling for an end to fear-driven narratives, the foundation advocated a rights-based approach to population policy. “If we centre people—especially women, youngsters, and the elderly—in our policies, population trends will not be a crisis, but a path to a more just and resilient future,” the statement said.
