What If the Indian Subcontinent Was One Country?
Have you ever wondered what would have happened if the Indian Continent were one single country? Imagine waking up to a world where the borders dividing India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and the Maldives vanish overnight. The result? A colossal nation we’ll call Greater India. With a landmass stretching from the Himalayas to the Indian Ocean, this hypothetical superpower would reshape global dynamics. But what would it look like in 2025? Let’s explore its demographics, economy, culture, and challenges, using the latest data.
A Population Powerhouse: Scale and Urbanisation
Greater India’s population would be staggering—about 2.04 billion people, nearly 25% of the world’s total. That’s more than the combined populations of North America, South America, Europe, and the Caribbean. India dominates with 1.46 billion, dwarfing Pakistan’s 245 million and Bangladesh’s 175 million, while others add smaller shares.
Urbanisation stands at around 35%, meaning about 714 million city dwellers, while over 1.3 billion still live in rural areas, underscoring the agrarian backbone of the region.
Population breakdown (2025 estimates):
| Country | Population (millions) | Share of Greater India (%) |
|---|---|---|
| India | 1,464 | 71.8 |
| Pakistan | 245 | 12.0 |
| Bangladesh | 175 | 8.6 |
| Nepal | 31 | 1.5 |
| Sri Lanka | 22 | 1.1 |
| Bhutan | 0.8 | 0.04 |
| Maldives | 0.5 | 0.02 |
| Total | 2,038 | 100 |
The median age is 28.8 years, signalling both a demographic dividend and mounting pressure on jobs and resources.
Megacities: Engines of Growth
The urban pulse of Greater India beats in its megacities. Delhi leads with 33 million residents, followed by Dhaka (22M), Mumbai (21M), and Karachi (16M). New York’s 8.8M pales in comparison.
Top 10 metro areas (2025 estimates):
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Delhi: 33M
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Dhaka: 22M
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Mumbai: 21M
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Karachi: 16M
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Lahore: 13M
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Bengaluru: 13M
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Chennai: 12M
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Hyderabad: 11M
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Ahmedabad: 8.5M
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Colombo: 5.7M
Seven of these are in India, underscoring its gravitational pull. These hubs drive innovation but strain infrastructure.
Cultural Mosaic: Ethnic and Linguistic Diversity
Greater India’s strength is its diversity—over 2,000 ethnic groups, rivalled only by Africa. Indo-Aryans (73%) and Dravidians (19%) dominate, with smaller groups like Austroasiatics and Tibeto-Burmans forming the rest.
Linguistically, it’s a vast babel: 22 official Indian languages plus Urdu, Bengali, Sinhala, and hundreds of regional tongues. Hindi is spoken by ~33%, Bengali by 15%, and Urdu by 12%, while Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, and Gujarati follow.
This cultural tapestry fosters creativity but risks fragmentation without strong unity.
Religious Landscape: Harmony in Pluralism
Four major religions—Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism—originated here. In Greater India, Hinduism holds 63.6%, Islam 31.4%, followed by Christians (2%), Buddhists (1.7%), Sikhs (1.3%), and others.
| Religion | Share (%) | Followers (millions) |
|---|---|---|
| Hinduism | 63.6 | 1,297 |
| Islam | 31.4 | 640 |
| Christianity | 2.0 | 41 |
| Buddhism | 1.7 | 35 |
| Sikhism | 1.3 | 26 |
| Others | ~0 | – |
This pluralism reflects shared history, but tensions would require careful management.
Economic Realities: Potential and Pitfalls
Greater India’s nominal GDP would reach $4.8 trillion, ranking 3rd globally behind the U.S. and China. India contributes the most with $4.19T, while Pakistan ($376B) and Bangladesh ($460B) add modestly.
However, GDP per capita (PPP) averages only $7,500, far below the global average of $17,300, similar to Vietnam or Bolivia. Unemployment hovers at 5.2%, higher in cities at 7.2%.
Economic snapshot (2025):
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Nominal GDP: $4.8T
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GDP per Capita (PPP): $7,500
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Unemployment: 5.2%
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Global Rank: 3rd
Integrating economies and reducing rural poverty remain critical challenges.
Military Might: A Regional Giant
With combined forces, Greater India would have the world’s largest army—2.6 million active troops and 2.1M reserves—backed by a budget of $84 billion (3rd globally).
Key strengths:
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Active personnel: 2.6M (largest globally).
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Defence budget: ~$84B.
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Nuclear arsenal: ~300 warheads.
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Challenges: Integrating rival militaries, managing border disputes.
Such power could enable peacekeeping leadership—or fuel regional rivalries.
Challenges and Future Prospects
Unemployment and underemployment weigh heavily on a young population (median 28.8 years). By 2070, the population may stabilise at 1.7 billion, but an ageing curve like Japan’s (median 47.3) looms.
Key priorities:
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Harnessing youth: Jobs, education, and skills training.
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Economic integration: Building unified markets and infrastructure.
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Cultural unity: Promoting shared heritage over division.
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Sustainability: Addressing climate change, water stress, and agriculture.
A Unified Vision for Tomorrow
Greater India in 2025 would be a demographic titan, cultural mosaic, and economic contender, but it would also face immense challenges of inequality, diversity, and youth unemployment. Uniting these nations could unleash unmatched potential, fostering peace and prosperity.
As borders dissolve in imagination, the real lesson is clear: collaboration through forums like SAARC may be a more practical path. So, would Greater India be a utopia or an uphill battle?
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