India’s Quiet Transition

India has long been seen as a “young country,” but a profound demographic shift is underway. With rising life expectancy and declining fertility, India is entering an era of rapid population ageing. The pace of this transition could shape the future of communities and families.

A Rapid Rise

Between 2000 and 2022, India’s total population grew by about 34 per cent. During the same period, the number of people aged 60 and above more than doubled, increasing by 103 per cent. By 2022, India already had about 149 million older people, roughly 10.5 per cent of its population (India Ageing Report 2023). According to United Nations estimates, the older population is projected to reach around 347 million by 2050, making up 20.8 per cent of India’s total population. Within 25 years, the ageing population rate will double.

Yet India’s demographic profile is different from other ageing or aged societies. The country still has a wide base of younger generations, offering a potential demographic advantage.

Living Arrangements and Family Change

For generations, Indian families have largely followed joint household patterns. According to the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI 2017-18), only 3.4 per cent of older Indians (60+) live alone, while nearly 77 per cent live with their children, either with a spouse or with other relatives. Around 16 per cent live with a spouse only or with others but without children. These figures underline how central the role of children remains in supporting older parents.

But lifestyles are shifting. More older people now live alone or only with a spouse, as urbanisation, labour migration, and education encourage nuclear families. In cities, some children invite parents to join them, while others rely on technology to check in from a distance. Such patterns of support also differ by caste and class: wealthier families can arrange housing or private care, while poorer households, especially in rural areas, often lack resources. These shifts in living arrangements are highly diverse, and the challenges and needs vary widely across different social segments.

At the same time, India retains strong traditions of mutual help. In many rural areas, kinship ties and neighbourhood solidarity remain powerful. Neighbours may share cooked food with an older person who lives alone or accompany them to the market or a local clinic. Such everyday gestures of support within communities or families are part of India’s cultural strength, softening the impact of demographic change.

Common Age-Related Issues

Health care is among the most pressing concerns in an ageing society. Chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension are widespread, and having two or more conditions at the same time is common. Access to affordable services is limited, especially in rural areas, and the costs of medicines and treatment can quickly push families into financial distress.

Financial security is another major worry. Only a small minority of older people have formal pensions. The vast majority worked in the informal sector, where retirement income is not guaranteed. Many continue working as long as they can, often in physically demanding jobs. For widows without property or savings, dependence on children is common.

At the same time, ageing often brings reduced daily activity, either after retirement or when children leave home. With fewer social roles, many older people face declining mobility and less participation in community life, which in turn heightens the risk of mental health problems such as depression and dementia. Loneliness and social isolation deepen these issues, threatening overall well-being.

Active Roles in Later Life

There is more to ageing than challenges alone. Older citizens continue to play active roles in families and communities. Grandparents provide daily childcare, pass on cultural traditions and practical knowledge, and support household economies. In many cases, their efforts make it possible for younger family members to pursue education or employment.

Civil society organisations and NGOs are also filling important gaps. Some run community day-care centres for older adults; others offer digital literacy classes, helplines, or specialised dementia care. Meanwhile, private companies are beginning to recognise the opportunities of the “silver economy,” developing products and services designed to meet the needs of an older population.

Importantly, the very fact that India is ageing reflects progress: longer lives are a sign of improved health and social development. The question now is how to ensure those longer years are lived with dignity, purpose, and well-being.

Conclusion

The consequences of ageing are not confined to older adults. Younger generations also feel the strain: youth employment rates remain low, women often shoulder disproportionate caregiving duties, and many struggle to combine work with family responsibilities. Addressing ageing, therefore, means promoting intergenerational balance and gender equality.

India’s ageing society faces major challenges, such as changing family structures, economic insecurity and health care gaps. Yet it also retains distinctive strengths: a still-large younger generation, cultural traditions of care and support, and an emerging network of policies and organisations. A collective effort of government, academia, industry, communities, and citizens can build an inclusive and supportive society.

Views expressed are personal. The writer is a Professor at Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities, OP Jindal Global University