How Did India Become a Major Engine of Global Urban Growth in 2025

India has officially become one of the top engines of global urban growth in 2025, according to a new United Nations report. Nearly half of the world’s population now lives in cities, and India is at the centre of this transformation. From rapidly expanding megacities like Delhi and Mumbai to fast-growing smaller cities, India’s urban story is reshaping global population trends. This shift highlights new economic opportunities but also raises serious questions about housing, infrastructure, sustainability, and urban governance in the coming decades.

India’s Rising Role in Global Urban Growth

• The UN report highlights that urban areas house around 45% of the global population in 2025, a dramatic rise from just 20% in 1950.
• India plays a critical role in this shift.
• The country currently has five megacities, each with a population exceeding 10 million.
• New Delhi, with over 30 million people, ranks among the world’s four largest cities, alongside Jakarta, Dhaka, and Tokyo.
• Cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Kolkata continue to attract jobs, investment, and migrants.

New Method Changes How Cities Are Counted

• A major update in the 2025 UN report is the use of the “Degree of Urbanization” method.
• Instead of relying only on administrative boundaries, this approach defines cities based on population size and density.
• This means densely populated areas functioning as cities are now counted even if they lie outside official city limits.
• As a result, population estimates for many Indian and Asian cities have increased.
• This change allows for more accurate global comparisons and better reflects how people actually live and work in urban spaces today.

Asia’s Dominance and India’s Position

• The report shows that Asia dominates global urbanization, hosting nine of the world’s ten largest cities and nearly 60% of all megacities. India is a key contributor to this trend.
• While China and Southeast Asia also show strong urban growth, India stands out due to its young population, internal migration, and expanding service and manufacturing sectors.
• This makes Indian cities central to the future of the global urban economy and labour markets.

Smaller Cities: The Real Growth Engines

• While megacities grab headlines, the UN report reveals that most urban growth is happening in small and medium-sized cities.
• Nearly 96% of cities worldwide have populations below 1 million.
• In India, these cities are growing faster than major metros due to better roads, digital connectivity, and emerging local industries.
• Cities like Kozhikode stand out as rare examples of rapidly growing urban centres with populations above 5 million, highlighting the shift away from metro-centric development.

Question

Q. Which organization released the “World’s Cities in 2025” report?

A. World Bank
B. IMF
C. United Nations
D. OECD