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India's Fertility Rate Stagnates Below Replacement Level
22 May
Summary
- India's total fertility rate remains below replacement for fifth year.
- Crude death rate stays higher than pre-pandemic levels.
- Deaths from accidents and suicides are on the rise.
The Sample Registration System (SRS) reports for 2024 reveal persistent demographic challenges for India. The nation's total fertility rate (TFR) has now stayed below the 2.1 replacement level for five years, indicating a long-term trend of below-replacement fertility. This metric remained flat at 1.9 in 2024, mirroring previous years.
Furthermore, the crude death rate (CDR) remains elevated compared to pre-pandemic times, standing at 6.4 in 2024. While urban death rates saw a slight decrease, rural areas reported a static CDR. The infant mortality rate has seen a slow decline.
Causes of death statistics highlight a concerning shift. Respiratory infection deaths, though reduced from pandemic peaks, are still higher than pre-2020 levels. Consequently, deaths from motor vehicle accidents and suicides have edged upwards, as has the proportion of deaths from non-communicable diseases, particularly cardiovascular issues.
