Nikkei Asia By KENTARO IWAMOTO and KIRAN SHARMA
From elder care to jobs and food, Asian nations race to avoid ‘catastrophe’
The year 2023 marks a historic turning point for Asia’s demography: For the first time in the modern era, India is projected to surpass China as the most populous country.
While the South Asian nation’s growing and youthful population spells opportunities for development, it also creates layers of challenges, from poverty reduction to education. Experts say soaring demand for food could affect India’s trade with other countries, while the World Bank recently estimated that India will need to invest $840 billion into urban infrastructure over the next 15 years to support its swelling citizenry.
“This is likely to put additional pressure on the already stretched urban infrastructure and services of Indian cities — with more demand for clean drinking water, reliable power supply, efficient and safe road transport amongst others,” the bank’s report said.
Caravan To Midnight
