India’s fertility rate has fallen below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman, drawing attention from billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk. Reacting to a social media post highlighting the trend, Musk said the decline was particularly notable among educated populations.
According to recent data, India’s fertility rate has dropped to around 1.9, signalling a slowdown in population growth. These falling birth rates are linked to factors such as urbanisation, higher education levels, delayed marriages and greater workforce participation by women.
While lower fertility can ease pressure on resources, demographers warn that sustained declines could eventually lead to an ageing population and labour shortages, challenges already being faced by several developed nations.