India's fertility rate has dropped below the replacement level for the first time, currently standing at 1.9 births per woman. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk commented on this trend, noting that among the most educated, the birth rate fell below replacement years ago. A report by The Economist attributes this decline to increased education, particularly for girls, which has been linked to greater autonomy and fewer children. The 1990s marked a significant increase in girls' school enrollment, accelerating the fertility decline. Many parents are opting for smaller families to invest more in each child's education, as seen in the rising number of children attending fee-paying schools, which increased from 31.7% in 2015 to 38.8% in 2025. This shift in family planning challenges traditional assumptions, as over 90% of Indian women still marry and have children relatively early, yet family sizes are shrinking. India's population is currently around 1.45 billion, but a future decline is likely unless fertility rates increase.