A recent report by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) has unveiled significant shifts in India’s religious demographics from 1950 to 2015. The Hindu population, which was 84.68% of the total in 1950, has decreased to 78.06% by 2015, marking a decline of 7.82%. Conversely, the Muslim population increased from 9.84% to 14.09%, a substantial growth of 43.15%.
Other minor shifts include a slight increase in the Christian and Sikh populations, while the shares of Jains and Parsis have seen a notable decline, with Parsis dropping by a staggering 85%. The report interprets these changes as reflections of evolving social policies, political decisions, and societal processes led by Dr. Shamika Ravi's research team. The report does not specify the exact numbers but highlights the trends observed in a comparative study across 167 countries.
The decline in the Hindu majority parallels global trends where majority religious populations in countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Afghanistan have increased, contrasting with the sharp decrease in minority groups. Interestingly, majority religious groups in all Muslim-majority countries except the Maldives have increased, with significant growth noted particularly in Bangladesh and Pakistan. The EAC-PM’s findings stir a conversation about the implications of these demographic shifts on India's social harmony and future.
