Guwahati, June 10 -- India's population is set to reach 1.46 billion by 2025, making it the world's most populous country, according to a new UN report. The country's fertility rate has dropped to 1.9, below the replacement level of 2.1, meaning fewer children are being born than needed to maintain the population.

The UN's 2025 State of World Population report highlights that the real issue is not overpopulation, but the lack of informed choices about having children. It stresses the importance of reproductive rights and the ability to decide when and how many children to have.

Despite the decline in birth rates, India has a large youth population, with 24% aged 0-14, 17% between 10-19, and 26% aged 10-24. About 68% of the population is...