India: Opportunities and challenges of demographic transition

Abstract

India is in the middle of its demographic transition. The 60-plus age group (elderly population) is projected to quadruple by 2050, while the 0-14 age group (child population) remains stagnant. India's population structure and distribution would then closely resemble that of nations currently with a high aging index. The high index, as seen now in nations like Russia and the UK, indicates that the elderly population is larger than the child population. Such changes in the size, structure, and distribution of the population will have implications for public policy as well as business. The Government of India has launched a slew of initiatives to meet this challenge. On the business front, many products and services have been launched that specifically target the elderly. However, there are many other products and services used by all age groups. These may have to be repositioned, if the motivations of the different age groups are not similar. Both from the angle of public policy and business, decision makers in India should closely examine the experience of nations with a high aging index, and respond to the challenges of demographic transition. © 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.