MUMBAI, Dec 26 (Alliance News): A report by the Pew Research Center predicts that India will surpass Indonesia as the country with the largest Muslim population by 2050, with an estimated 311 million Muslims.
Currently, Indonesia holds this position, while Pakistan is projected to rank second with 273 million Muslims by the same year.
The report highlights demographic shifts between 2010 and 2050, attributing the significant growth of India’s Muslim population to factors such as younger marriage ages, higher fertility rates, and the overall younger average age of Muslims compared to other religious groups. On average, Muslim women in India have 3.2 children compared to 2.5 for Hindu women and 2.3 for Christian women.
India’s Hindu population is also set to grow, reaching 1.03 billion by 2050, ensuring Hindus remain the largest religious group in the country. Globally, India’s Muslim population is expected to constitute 11% of the worldwide Muslim demographic by mid-century.
The report underscores the potential impacts of this demographic trend, such as increasing diversity in India’s cultural and religious harmony and creating new opportunities in business, industry, and crafts.
However, the rapid growth also poses challenges, including pressure on education, health services, and social justice systems.
The report suggests that focusing on education, employment, and fostering social harmony can turn this growth into a source of development.
