Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday announced the formation of a high-level committee to examine demographic change in India, calling it a major challenge with implications for national security, sovereignty and social stability.
The announcement follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement on Independence Day 2025, when he proposed setting up a dedicated panel to study demographic shifts linked to illegal immigration and other “unnatural” factors.
In a post on X, Shah said the government has now operationalised the “High-Level Committee on Demographic Change” to assess the impact of infiltration and abnormal population changes across the country.
“Infiltration and other reasons causing unnatural demographic change pose a very significant challenge to the present and future of any nation,” Shah said, adding that the committee was constituted in line with the Prime Minister’s announcement on August 15, 2025.
The panel will be headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar. Its members include Census Commissioner and former IAS officer Durga Shankar Mishra, former IPS officer Balaji Srivastava, and economist Shamika Ravi. The Joint Secretary (Foreigners-I) in the Ministry of Home Affairs will serve as the committee’s Member Secretary.
According to Shah, the committee has been tasked with carrying out a comprehensive study of demographic changes across India. It will examine shifts caused by illegal immigration and other “unnatural” reasons, analyse abnormal population trends among religious and social groups, and recommend a planned, time-bound response.
Describing the issue as one that goes beyond population data, Shah said demographic change has direct implications for sovereignty, law and order, social structure and the preservation of tribal communities.
Officials said the committee will analyse demographic data, consult stakeholders and propose policy measures to address emerging concerns. The panel is expected to submit its recommendations within a fixed timeframe, with an emphasis on actionable solutions.
Reaffirming the government’s stance, Shah said the initiative reflects a proactive effort to protect the country’s integrity and social fabric through “well-informed and decisive action.”
(With inputs from ANI)