Demographic Changes and Ageing in China and India: A Public Policy Perspective

Across the world, there has been much interest in China’s and India’s demographic dynamics. Back in November 2022, the United Nations stated that India is likely to surpass China as the most populated country globally. Social scientists question how this happened and what economic and social pressures will it place on China and India? One clear feature that occurs in both countries is an ageing population; due to improvements in living standards and healthcare, people are living longer than ever before. The authors of this chapter explore the contemporary debates on the population dynamics of China and India in the present context and investigate how both countries deal with ageing in a public policy context. As will be seen, from a public policy perspective, there is a real drive on ageing in place. This chapter applies a case study approach to two countries: China and India. This academic work utilizes documentary data sources (i.e. newspaper articles, policy reports, and peer reviewed publications – books and journals) to underpin the authors’ narrative. This comparative case study considers demographic changes to assess ageing, which will contribute to the contemporary debates on global public policy. The ‘ageing in place’ policy is seen as an institutional framework that has huge benefits for society. Examining the ways in which China and India apply this policy will provide an up-to-date dialogue to inform future policymaking and research.