India has witnessed a significant demographic shift over the past five decades, with both birth and death rates halving. The birth rate fell from 36.9 per 1,000 in 1971 to 18.4 in 2023, while the death rate dropped from 14.9 to 6.4. Urbanization, family planning, and female education drove this change, alongside improved healthcare and life expectancy. Infant mortality also declined. Regional disparities remain, but experts say the trend could ease population pressure and boost India’s economic growth through a demographic dividend.