India's Ageing Population

How India's older population is growing faster than ever, the particular challenges for older women and the rural elderly, and the policies emerging to support them.

India is often described as a young country, and it is, with a large working-age population. But India is also ageing rapidly. The number of older people is growing faster than the population as a whole.

The numbers

According to the India Ageing Report 2023 by the United Nations Population Fund and the International Institute for Population Sciences, people aged 60 and over made up around 10 percent of India’s population in 2021, over 140 million people. This share is projected to roughly double to around 20 percent by 2050, when India may have more than 340 million older people.

Distinct challenges

Feminisation of ageing: women live longer than men on average, so many older people, especially the oldest, are widows. Older women are more likely to be poor, less likely to have their own income or assets, and more likely to depend on others.
Rural elderly: many older people live in villages, where health services are limited and young family members have migrated to cities.
Informal work: most older Indians worked in the informal sector without pensions, so many continue working out of necessity.
Changing families: the traditional joint family, where multiple generations live together and care for elders, is becoming less common, especially in cities.
Poverty: the India Ageing Report found that a significant share of older people are in the poorest wealth groups.

Policies

Old-age pensions through the National Social Assistance Programme and state schemes, though amounts are small in many states.
Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY, extended to all people aged 70 and above in 2024.
The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, which obliges children to maintain their parents.
Senior citizen savings schemes and tax benefits.
Programmes for geriatric care in public health systems.

An older widow in a village

A 75-year-old widow in a rural district has no pension from work and owns no land in her name. Her sons have moved to cities. She receives a small state old-age pension and relies on neighbours for help. When she falls ill, reaching a hospital is difficult. Her situation shows why income support, health coverage and community care matter as India ages.

Thinking India's demographic dividend means ageing is not a concern

India's large working-age population is an opportunity now, but ageing is accelerating. Building pensions, health care and care systems takes decades, so planning must start while the population is still relatively young.

Key takeaways

People aged 60 and over were around 10 percent of India's population in 2021.
This share is projected to reach around 20 percent by 2050.
Older women, rural elders and informal workers face particular vulnerabilities.
Pensions, PM-JAY for those 70 and above and family maintenance laws are key policies.