Can global labour demand absorb India’s growing workforce?

By N.S. Venkataraman*

Over the past eleven years, has claimed significant , emerging as the world’s fourth-largest economy. With the continuing to pursue economic and industrial development initiatives, this growth momentum is expected to continue in the medium term.

Parallel efforts are being made to expand educational infrastructure and promote skill development across sectors. These initiatives are intended to improve employability and enable the workforce to access job opportunities both within India and overseas.

Despite these developments, employment generation remains a key challenge. While opportunities exist in both the organised and unorganised sectors, they have not kept pace with the growth of the working-age population. Technological changes such as automation, robotics, and are also reshaping labour markets by reducing demand for certain traditional job roles. With a substantial proportion of the population consisting of young people seeking employment, labour market pressures are likely to persist unless employment creation expands significantly.

India’s population is currently estimated at approximately 1.4 to 1.5 billion. Although fertility rates have been declining and average family sizes are reducing, overall population growth continues due to demographic momentum. Projections suggest that India’s population could approach around 1.8 billion by 2050. In a country of this scale, generating adequate employment for all individuals in the working-age group presents a structural challenge.

India is now the most populous country in the world. Population density during the 2023–25 period is estimated to be between 480 and 492 persons per square kilometre. This figure is considerably higher than in many other countries, including the United States, Canada, Russia, , Germany, and Kenya, highlighting the demographic pressure on land and resources.

In contrast, several developed economies, including Japan and many European countries, are experiencing stagnant or declining native populations. China’s population growth has also slowed and stabilised following long-term demographic trends influenced by earlier population policies. These shifts have raised concerns in some countries about the availability of labour to support economic activity, particularly in sectors requiring specialised skills.

As economies modernise and adopt advanced technologies, the demand for skilled and highly skilled workers has increased in many regions. Labour shortages in certain sectors have prompted destination countries, including those in Europe and the , to rely more on to meet economic needs.

In this context, India’s large population and expanding skill development initiatives position it as a significant source of migrant labour. Overseas employment has become an important avenue for absorbing part of India’s workforce, particularly when domestic job creation does not fully meet demand.

India is reported to have the world’s largest emigrant population, with more than 18.5 million people of Indian origin residing abroad in 2024. Indian migrants account for an estimated six per cent of the global international migrant population. This trend is expected to continue as skill-based training expands and global demand for labour persists.

At the same time, migration has become a subject of policy debate in many destination countries. Issues related to social integration, cultural differences, and long-term demographic change are increasingly part of public and political discussions. While migrant labour contributes to economic activity, host countries are also assessing the social and demographic implications of sustained migration flows.

Against this backdrop, India’s population growth and international migration patterns highlight a set of interconnected economic, social, and demographic issues. Addressing domestic employment needs while engaging with global labour markets will remain an important policy consideration for India, even as destination countries continue to evaluate the broader impacts of migration on their societies.

---

*Trustee, Nandini Voice for the Deprived, Chennai

Comments

Countrywide protest by gig workers puts spotlight on algorithmic exploitation

By A Representative A nationwide protest led largely by women gig and platform workers was held across several states on February 3, with the Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU) claiming the mobilisation as a success and a strong assertion of workers’ rights against what it described as widespread exploitation by digital platform companies. Demonstrations took place in Delhi, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Maharashtra and other states, covering major cities including New Delhi, Jaipur, Bengaluru and Mumbai, along with multiple districts across the country.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

CFA flags ‘welfare retreat’ in Union Budget 2026–27, alleges corporate bias

By Jag Jivan The advocacy group Centre for Financial Accountability (CFA) has sharply criticised the Union Budget 2026–27 , calling it a “budget sans kartavya” that weakens public welfare while favouring private corporations, even as inequality, climate risks and social distress deepen across the country.

From water scarcity to sustainable livelihoods: The turnaround of Salaiya Maaf

By Bharat Dogra We were sitting at a central place in Salaiya Maaf village, located in Mahoba district of Uttar Pradesh, for a group discussion when an elderly woman said in an emotional voice, “It is so good that you people came. Land on which nothing grew can now produce good crops.”

Paper guarantees, real hardship: How budget 2026–27 abandons rural India

By Vikas Meshram In the history of Indian democracy, the Union government’s annual budget has always carried great significance. However, the 2026–27 budget raises several alarming concerns for rural India. In particular, the vague provisions of the VBG–Ram Ji scheme and major changes to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA) have put the future of rural workers at risk. A deeper reading of the budget reveals that these changes are not merely administrative but are closely tied to political and economic priorities that will have far-reaching consequences for millions of rural households.

Penpa Tsering’s leadership and record under scrutiny amidst Tibetan exile elections

By Tseten Lhundup* Within the Tibetan exile community, Penpa Tsering is often described as having risen through grassroots engagement. Born in 1967, he comes from an ordinary Tibetan family, pursued higher education at Delhi University in India, and went on to serve as Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile from 2008 to 2016. In 2021, he was elected Sikyong of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), becoming the second democratically elected political leader of the administration after Lobsang Sangay.

'Gandhi Talks': Cinema that dares to be quiet, where music, image and silence speak

By Vikas Meshram In today’s digital age, where reels and short videos dominate attention spans, watching a silent film for over two hours feels almost like an act of resistance. Directed by Kishor Pandurang Belekar, “Gandhi Talks” is a bold cinematic experiment that turns silence into language and wordlessness into a powerful storytelling device. The film is not mere entertainment; it is an experience that pushes the viewer inward, compelling reflection on life, values, and society.

Frugal funds, fading promises: Budget 2026 exposes shrinking space for minority welfare

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Ministry of Minority Affairs was established in 2006 during the tenure of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, following the findings of the Sachar Committee, which documented that Muslims were among the most educationally and economically disadvantaged communities in India. The ministry was conceived as a corrective institutional response to deep structural inequalities faced by religious minorities, particularly Muslims, through focused policy interventions.

From Puri to the State: How Odisha turned the dream of drinkable tap water into policy

By Hans Harelimana Hirwa, Mansee Bal Bhargava Drinking water directly from the tap is generally associated with developed countries where it is considered safe and potable. Only about 50 countries around the world offer drinkable tap water, with the majority located in Europe and North America, and a few in Asia and Oceania. Iceland, Switzerland, Finland, Germany, and Singapore have the highest-quality tap water, followed by Canada, New Zealand, Japan, the USA, Australia, the UK, Costa Rica, and Chile.

Search This Blog