The Centre on Tuesday constituted a high-level committee to examine what it described as “unnatural demographic change” in the country arising from infiltration, illegal immigration, and other related factors. The move comes months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a special demographic mission during his Independence Day address from the Red Fort on August 15, 2025.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah shared details of the newly formed panel through a post on X, calling demographic imbalance a major challenge linked to national security, sovereignty, and social stability.
“Infiltration and other reasons causing Unnatural Demographic Change pose a very significant challenge to the present and future of any nation. To address this very challenge, on 15 August 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji had announced the ‘High-Level Committee on Demographic Change’. I am delighted to inform you that the government has now constituted this committee,” Shah wrote.
According to the Home Minister, the committee will be chaired by retired Justice Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar and will include the Census Commissioner as well as former IAS officer Durga Shankar Mishra, retired IPS officer Balaji Srivastava, and economist Dr. Shamika Ravi as members. The Joint Secretary (Foreigners-I) in the Ministry of Home Affairs will serve as the Member Secretary.
Shah said the panel has been tasked with conducting a comprehensive assessment of demographic changes occurring across India due to illegal immigration and other “unnatural causes.” The committee will also analyze abnormal population shifts among different religious and social communities and recommend “planned and time-bound solutions.”
Describing demographic change as a serious national issue, Shah said the matter was not only related to sovereignty but also had implications for law and order, social harmony, and the preservation of tribal societies.
“Demographic Change is a serious issue linked not only to our sovereignty but also to national security, law and order, profound changes in social structure, and the preservation of tribal society,” he said in his statement.
The announcement marks a significant policy move by the government amid continuing political debate over illegal migration, especially in border states. Over the past few years, the Centre has repeatedly expressed concerns over infiltration and its impact on demographic patterns in several regions of the country.
Prime Minister Modi had first raised the issue prominently during his address from the Red Fort on the occasion of India’s 79th Independence Day. In his speech, the Prime Minister warned about what he described as deliberate attempts to alter the country’s demographic structure through illegal migration and infiltration, particularly in border areas.
He had then announced a “high-powered demography mission” aimed at protecting the nation’s unity and integrity while safeguarding the rights and interests of Indian citizens.
PM Modi had stated that demographic imbalance caused by illegal migration posed a serious challenge to India’s future and national security. The newly constituted committee is expected to study these concerns in detail and submit recommendations to the government after examining demographic trends across the country.
The development is likely to trigger wider political and policy discussions, with supporters viewing it as a necessary step toward addressing national security concerns, while critics may seek greater clarity on the committee’s mandate and methodology.
Leave Your Comment