India population 'decline'? Fertility rate falls below level needed to maintain stable…: Govt report

India's Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has fallen below the replacement level for the first time, according to the Sample Registration System Statistical Report 2024 released by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. The Total Fertility Rate measures the average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime. A replacement-level fertility rate of 2.1 is generally considered necessary to maintain a stable population over the long term. The latest report shows India's fertility rate has now dipped below that benchmark.