New Delhi, Nov. 9 -- At wedding receptions across the country, the question that follows the blessings has not changed in decades: 'Any good news?' What has changed is the answer. A growing number of young couples now reply with a polite smile and a firm no.

They draw two salaries, share an EMI, and have decided, for now or for good, that a child is not part of the plan. Social media calls them DINKs, short for double income, no kids, and the numbers suggest this is more than a fad.

The sample registration system report for 2023 places India's total fertility rate at 1.9, below the replacement level of 2.1. Eighteen states and Union Territories are already under that line, with Tamil Nadu at 1.3 and Delhi at 1.2. Even a decade ago, the ...