Elections for a nation with falling fertility rates

India is seeing a decline in fertility. With 31 of the 36 states and Union Territories achieving fertility levels at or even below replacement level, we are entering a new demographic era. India is home to the world’s largest population of young people – 65% of our citizens are under the age of 35. This demographic advantage creates the opportunity for a more productive and economically stronger future for the nation. That’s why it’s important that we accelerate investment in human capital. A key factor in achieving India’s development goals is ensuring universal access to reproductive health services, including modern contraceptives.

We are at a moment when modern contraception, which improves and saves lives, should also be seen as an instrument of agency, autonomy and socio-economic empowerment. Benefits have a disproportionate impact on women’s lives. It is therefore necessary to recognize the potential that we will unlock by investing in women’s (and their partners’) access to modern contraceptives and family planning services.

The data couldn’t be clearer: greater access to modern contraceptives could increase women’s participation in the labor force, which could add $770 billion to India’s GDP by 2025. Unplanned pregnancies have the potential to disrupt a woman’s educational or career ambitions, pushing her out of the labor market and into careers and caring roles that limit her potential to contribute to her family’s financial security. When individuals and couples can plan for their families, they can also pursue their dreams – whether that be higher education or career advancement.

Modern contraceptives are more than just “family planning” tools – they are life-saving health interventions. The use of modern contraceptives such as oral pills, condoms, intrauterine devices (IUDs), and other methods reduces the incidence of unintended pregnancies and close births. Unplanned, close-spaced births are associated with poorer health outcomes for women and their babies, including maternal mortality and premature births, which carry many risks for the newborn.

The Government of India, through its family planning department, launched the Parivaar Vikas Mission in 2016, which has resulted in significant improvement in contraceptive use. Over the years, newer, reversible methods such as subcutaneous implants and injections such as Antara-SC have been introduced, providing individuals with greater flexibility and safer, long-term choices, reflecting the government’s commitment to improving reproductive health and autonomy.

However, despite these advances, the responsibility for contraception still falls disproportionately on women. Although contraceptive use rates have increased and the choice of reversible methods has expanded, nearly 38% of married Indian women still choose permanent sterilization, making it the dominant method. This reality reflects limited awareness of newer methods and the persistence of patriarchal norms. Pregnancy and family planning are burdens that only women bear. This imbalance must be corrected.

We must reach for innovative solutions. Digital tools such as mobile apps and chatbot advice provide couples with discreet and convenient access to contraceptive information. These tools can offer tailored advice, solve common problems and help fill knowledge gaps, especially in underserved areas.

A key step will be to increase the number of contraceptive options available to men. The reversible, non-hormonal injectable RISUG (reversible inhibition of semen under supervision), developed by the Indian Council of Medical Research, is a step forward in male contraception. Safe, effective and reversible, RISUG opens the door to a future in which men actively participate in family planning and share responsibility.

Shamika Ravi is a member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council; and Jaydeep Tank is the president of the Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecological Societies of India. The views expressed are personal