According to the official survey, India did hit a major demographic milestone with its total fertility rate falling to 2.0. This means the population is set to stabilise.
The famed demographic dividend is not yet fully apparent but the negatives of a burgeoning population in a resource constrained country have been on full display.
If Muslims come out in support of the population policy, the Yogi Adityanath government itself would likely backtrack under pressure from the Hindu Right.
The doomsday scenario does not recognise that declining fertility often represents positive developments, such as increasing female autonomy and education.
Without resorting to the language of explosion as Modi did, India needs to reorient its health and education system to empower people to make informed choices.
The Italian term sprezzatura—a studied nonchalance that conceals intention—best captures the spirit of Trump’s foreign policy so far. The pattern is unpredictability, transactionalism, and disruption as diplomacy.
With 20.2 percent of its total loans in default by the end of last year, Bangladesh had the weakest banking system in Asia. Despite reforms, it will take time to recover.
This world is being restructured and redrawn by one man, and what’s his power? It’s not his formidable military. It’s trade. With China, it turned on him.
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