India to overtake China (3 times larger than India in area) as world's most populated country (143 crore people) in 2023: UN

That will send India's economic progress, development and job situation spiraling downhill, while seriously and quickly endangering and depleting natural resources (including rivers, forests, farm land, flora and fauna) and increasing demands for more food, water, energy (electricity, gasoline etc.), living space, infrastructure (including roads, buildings, hospitals and parks / recreational facilities etc.) and a cleaner and healthier environment.

More info.: https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/india-to-overtake-china-as-world-s-most-populated-country-in-2023-un-122071100983_1.html

A passage from my 2009 blog ("India and the parliamentary democracy") on the problem of overpopulation in India:

"(1) Overpopulation: India is a country of more than 1.2 billion people. It has limited space, energy and natural resources. There is already a serious problem of overpopulation in India which has resulted in a lack of sufficient food, drinking water, clean air and available space for many people. Pollution and degradation of environment (including rivers and lakes) are also on the rise due mainly to overpopulation. A large number of species of plants and animals are endangered and already on the verge of extinction. Agricultural land and forests are facing quick reduction as people move into areas not occupied before. Similarly, the depletion of natural resources, energy and water is taking place more rapidly as the number of people increases. Overpopulation has also led to the proliferation of slums and slum like dwellings all over the country, especially near the cities. The problem of slums is further worsened by the inability of law and order to protect local people and their property from encroachers, from inside and outside the country.

"Thus the Govt. needs to take immediate steps to curtail the increase in population by implementing policies and programs for family planning, including putting limits on the number of children a family can have and it should not be more than two. Govt. must also make it clear to people, and later follow through it, that those who do not adhere to Govt. recommendations and edicts on family planning and still continue to have more children will be deprived of government assistance (in education and jobs etc.) no matter what their caste status, religion or economic situation. In addition, there should be stricter laws to safeguard and protect property (publicly or privately owned) from encroachers and a mechanism for the swift and sure eviction of offenders (outsiders taking over and occupying others’ property illegally) must exist. This will make people (including potential encroachers) realize that they cannot look forward to grabbing others’ property to survive, and thus need to plan beforehand to have families and number of children which they can easily afford on their own."

Ref.: "India and the parliamentary democracy," (by Subhash C. Sharma: Oct. 8, 2009): http://web.archive.org/web/20091026135003/http://geocities.com/lamberdar/democracy.html