This decline marks a stark contrast to India's fertility patterns six decades ago. In 1960, when the country's population stood at approximately 436 million, the average Indian woman had an average of six children.
Published Jun 13, 2025 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Jun 13, 2025 | 7:00 AM
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Synopsis: The UNFPA State of World Population 2025 report revealed that India’s total fertility rate has plummeted to an average of 1.9 births per woman, below the replacement level of 2.1 needed to maintain population stability. The report revealed that financial limitations are the primary barrier preventing Indian families from achieving their desired family size.
While India celebrated becoming the world’s fourth-largest economy with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $4 trillion in May 2025, a stark contradiction emerged from the country’s homes. More than one in three (38 percent) families cited financial constraints as the primary reason for having fewer children than desired.
This economic paradox is laid bare in the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) State of World Population 2025 report, which revealed India’s total fertility rate has plummeted to an average of 1.9 births per woman, below the replacement level of 2.1 needed to maintain population stability.
The finding raises critical questions about whether India’s celebrated economic growth is reaching ordinary families making life’s most personal decisions.
This decline marks a stark contrast to India’s fertility patterns six decades ago. In 1960, when the country’s population stood at approximately 436 million, the average Indian woman had an average of six children.
Today, with India having become the world’s most populous nation at 1.4639 billion people, women are having significantly fewer children than needed to sustain current population levels.
The report revealed that financial limitations are the primary barrier preventing Indian families from achieving their desired family size, with more than one in three (38 percent) survey respondents citing economic constraints as a key factor leading them to have fewer children than initially planned.
This economic pressure manifests in multiple ways across Indian households.
Housing limitations, including lack of adequate space and prohibitive property prices or rental costs, affected more than one in five (22 percent) respondents.
The challenge is compounded by insufficient quality childcare options, cited by nearly one in five (18 percent) of those surveyed, while unemployment and job insecurity influenced more than one in five (21 percent) families’ reproductive decisions.
“Finding the right partner is important because I believe that raising a child should be a shared responsibility with emotional and financial support from both parents,” noted an 18-year-old female respondent in the UNFPA survey, highlighting the changing expectations around parental responsibilities in modern India.
Beyond economic factors, health-related barriers significantly impact reproductive choices. Poor general health or chronic illnesses affected nearly one in five (19 percent) respondents, while barriers to fertility or pregnancy-related medical care influenced about one in seven (14 percent).
Infertility or difficulty conceiving affects more than one in 10 (13 percent) of those surveyed, underscoring the complex medical challenges facing prospective parents.
The report identified changing social dynamics as another significant factor influencing fertility decisions. 17 percent of respondents experienced a change of heart, deciding they wanted fewer children than originally planned, while 19 percent were influenced by their partners’ preference for smaller families.
Contemporary global concerns also weigh heavily on reproductive decisions. 14 percent of respondents cited concerns about political or social situations, including wars and pandemics, as factors influencing their family planning choices.
Environmental concerns, particularly climate change and environmental degradation, influenced nine percent of the respondents.
Relationship challenges also play a role, with 12 percent citing a lack of a suitable partner and 15 percent pointing to insufficient involvement of partners in housework and childcare responsibilities as limiting factors.
Despite India’s demographic transition, significant limitations in reproductive agency persist across the population. The survey reveals that three in five men (61 percent) and three in five women (60 percent) have experienced some form of limitation in their reproductive autonomy.
Specifically, more than one in three men (34 percent) and more than one in four women (27 percent) reported being unable to use their preferred contraceptive method.
Pressure to have babies or continue pregnancies against personal wishes affected three in ten men (30 percent) and more than one in four women (26 percent). Conversely, nearly three in ten men (29 percent) and more than one in five women (22 percent) felt pressured to continue using contraception when they wanted to conceive.
Sexual autonomy remains a significant concern, with more than one in three men (34 percent) and one in three women (33 percent) reporting situations where they felt unable to refuse sexual intercourse.
Access to reproductive health services was problematic for nearly one in three men (31 percent) and one in four women (25 percent) surveyed.
The UNFPA report also suggested that India’s maternal health indicators show mixed progress. The Maternal Mortality Ratio stood at 80 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2023, with 89 percent of births attended by skilled health personnel. HIV infection rates remain relatively low at 0.05 per 1,000 uninfected individuals across all ages.
Contraceptive usage shows room for improvement, with 51 percent of women aged 15-49 using any contraceptive method and 45 percent using modern methods. Among married women, these rates increase to 68 percent and 59 percent, respectively. The unmet need for family planning remains at seven percent among all women and nine percent among married women.
Gender equity in education has shown significant progress, with near parity achieved in lower secondary education (gender parity index of 1.01) and a slight female advantage in upper secondary education (gender parity index of 1.03).
The UNFPA report said that the shifting demographic landscape has prompted dramatic policy reversals at the state level. It said that last year, Andhra Pradesh State repealed legislation that banned political candidates with more than two children from seeking elected office.
“Remarkably, state authorities are now considering implementing the opposite restriction, potentially banning candidates with fewer than two children from running for office,” said the UNFPA report.
This policy reversal reflects growing concerns among politicians in southern India about how declining fertility rates might impact parliamentary representation and regional political influence.
The report highlighted the persistent influence of social and cultural pressures on reproductive decisions. 11 percent of respondents nationally identified social pressures, including religious, community and medical professional expectations, as reasons for having more children than desired.
This phenomenon is particularly pronounced in India, where 22 percent of respondents reported that social pressures led them to exceed their fertility goals.
Paradoxically, 14 percent of Indian respondents also reported pressure from doctors or health workers that resulted in having fewer children than desired, illustrating the complex and sometimes contradictory nature of external influences on reproductive choices.
Traditional son preference continues to influence fertility patterns, with families facing pressure to continue childbearing until a male child is born, contributing to higher-than-desired fertility rates in some cases.
India’s current population of 1.4639 billion is projected to continue growing, reaching approximately 1.7 billion before beginning to decline in about 40 years. The country’s annual population doubling time has extended to 79 years, reflecting the slowing growth rate.
The current age structure shows 24 percent of the population under 14 years old, with youth aged 10-19 comprising 17 percent and those aged 10-24 representing 26 percent of the total population. The working-age population (15-64) accounts for 68 percent, while those 65 and older represent seven percent.
Life expectancy has improved significantly, with current estimates showing 71 years for males and 74 years for females in 2025.
The report warns that poorly implemented family-friendly policies can prove counterproductive by reinforcing negative workplace stereotypes.
In India, women report facing reputational costs in professional settings when utilising family-friendly policies, including medically necessary maternity leave, creating additional barriers to achieving desired fertility outcomes.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
