Counting What Counts: Understanding India’s Committee on Demographic Change

‘Demography is destiny’, it is said. This is applicable to every country on Earth, including India. Often, debate surrounding demographic changes assume political and religious overtones. The matter becomes especially very touchy when it comes to demographic changes in border states. However, to understand the issue better, data is needed to help look beyond the rhetoric. The Ministry of Home Affairs constituted a High-Level Committee on Demographic Change on 26th May 2026, under the chairmanship of Justice Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar, retired Judge of the Supreme Court. The committee will scientifically assess the nature, scale, and causes of demographic shifts happening across India. It will particularly examine demographic shifts linked to illegal immigration and other abnormal factors, and recommend policy, administrative, and legal measures to the government. Let us look at the data, what the numbers say about demographic trends in India and its neighbourhood, and the committee mandate.