The Big Picture - Demography: Advantage India

In many ways, India’s demographics are the envy of the world. As populations in countries such as China, US, and Japan is getting older, India’s population is getting younger. Since 2018, India’s working-age population has grown larger than the dependent population — children aged 14 or below as well as people above 65 years of age. This bulge in the working-age population is going to last till 2055, or 37 years from its beginning. India’s working-age population is now increasing because of rapidly declining birth and death rates. India’s age dependency ratio, the ratio of dependents to the working-age population, is expected to only start rising in 2040, as per UN estimates. This presents a golden opportunity for economic growth. It is, however, important to note that this change in population structure alone cannot push growth. There are many other factors. On this edition of the big picture we analyse How to reap India’s demographic dividend.


Guests:
Banuchandar Nagarajan, Former Consultant, World Bank, Washington DC
Abhinav Prakash, Assistant Professor, University of Delhi
Alok Vajpeyi, Joint Director, Population Foundation of India

Anchor: Frank Rausan Pereira