Based on the projections, India's population by mid-year will reach 1.4286 billion, compared to China's 1.4257 billion — 2.9 million fewer — according to the United Nations Population Fund's State of World Population Report for 2023, released on Wednesday.
While there are hopes that India's young citizenry could drive the country's economic growth for years to come, it also might just as easily become a demographic liability if they are not adequately employed. That has sparked expectations that the demographic changes could pave the way for India to become an economic and global heavyweight.
India, by contrast, has a much younger population, a higher fertility rate, and has seen a decrease in infant mortality over the last three decades. Still, the country's fertility rate has been steadily falling, from over five births per woman in 1960 to just over two in 2020, according to World Bank data.
Wow.