India Becomes World’s Most Populous Country as Spotlight Shines on Family Planning

India is on track to surpass China as the world’s most populous country on April 14. With a population of over 1.4 billion, India’s family planning services are under pressure to maintain decreasing fertility rates.

According to a UN forecast, India’s population is expected to reach 1,425,775,850 on April 14, surpassing China’s long-held position as the world’s most populous country.

While China’s population growth is starting to plateau, India’s population is still on the rise. Since the last census 12 years ago, India has gained approximately 210 million inhabitants, which is almost the entire population of Brazil.

Female sterilization is the most popular form of contraception in India, accounting for 38% of all contraceptive methods used. Male vasectomy accounts for only 0.3% of contraception methods due to social stigma and patriarchy.

There is still a significant gap between the wanted fertility rate and the actual fertility rate, indicating that family planning efforts still have a long way to go in India.