India’s allies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi are pushing for larger families despite the country’s population exceeding 1.4 billion and concerns over unemployment among young people.
Although the United Nations projects India’s population will continue growing for about 4 decades and peak near 1.7 billion, policymakers and Hindu nationalist groups are increasingly warning about falling birth rates.
India’s total fertility rate declined to 2 children per woman in the 2019-21 government assessment period, down from 3.4 in 1992-93. The government says a rate of 2.1 is needed for the population to replace itself.
The southern state of Andhra Pradesh announced plans to offer financial incentives for larger families.
The state government said families would receive a one-time payment of 30,000 rupees for a third child and 40,000 rupees for a fourth child.
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said declining birth rates in several countries were creating ageing populations and economic pressure.
“In the past, we worked extensively on family planning,” he said. “Now, given the changed circumstances, we are calling for children to be seen as wealth.”
The northeastern state of Sikkim has also encouraged larger families by offering incentives including extended maternity leave, paternity leave and financial support for in-vitro fertilisation.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the influential Hindu group linked to Modi’s governing party, has also backed bigger families.
“We say that India is a country of youngsters … but slowly, the TFR is coming down,” RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale told reporters. “Demographic imbalances will create tensions.”
Government data showed India’s unemployment rate for people aged 15 and above stood at 3.1% in 2025, but among those aged 15 to 29 it was significantly higher at 9.9%.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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