'Population No.1 China' Myth Broken... India Surpasses with 1.43 Billion People

by Koo Nari

Published 20 Apr.2023 09:20(KST)

Foreign Media: "India's Growth Engine is 'Population Increase'"

India's population is predicted to catch up with China's around mid-year.

According to a report by the United Nations Population Fund cited by AP News and others on the 19th (local time), India's population is expected to reach 1.4286 billion by mid-year, about 3 million more than mainland China's 1.4257 billion.

People gathered at an event held in the suburbs of Mumbai, India. [Photo by Reuters·Yonhap News]

China's population declined last year for the first time since 1960, when millions starved due to the agricultural policies (Great Leap Forward) implemented by former Chairman Mao Zedong. In 2022, China recorded 9.56 million births, while India had 23 million births, resulting in a 1.2% net population growth rate.

India's population is expected to continue increasing for the time being. By 2050, India's population is projected to rise to 1.668 billion, while China's is estimated to decrease to 1.317 billion.

Chinese authorities are facing population decline issues due to falling birth rates and an aging workforce. After abolishing the 'one-child policy' implemented in the 1980s due to concerns about overpopulation in 2016, China allowed couples to have up to three children in 2021. Some regions also introduced additional policies to increase birth rates, but these measures have been insufficient to reverse the population decline.

The media viewed India's population growth as "a driving force enabling India to maintain economic growth despite problems such as poverty and job shortages." Meanwhile, China's population decline is speculated to "make it difficult for China to achieve its economic ambitions or replace the United States' status, even if its economic and military power increases."

Foreign media predicted that "India, with half of its population under 30 years old, will become the fastest-growing major economy in the world over the next few years."

However, there are concerns about the limits of India's growth. Although India has achieved rapid growth in recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic has hindered the creation of new jobs, and youth unemployment remains high under these circumstances.

Some economists warn that if India does not create economic opportunities such as job creation, it may face internal instability. The media reported, "Last year, over 10 million applicants competed for 35,000 positions at a state-owned railway company, leading to violent protests."