Total Fertility Rate (TFR) represents the average number of children a woman would bear. India's TFR as per NFHS-5 (2019-21) is approximately 2.0. The replacement-level TFR is 2.1. This implies:

• A India's population will immediately begin to decline
• B India has already achieved ZPG (Zero Population Growth)
• C No further family planning interventions are needed
• D India's population will continue to grow for decades due to population momentum before eventually stabilizing ✓

Explanation

Population momentum means a population continues to grow for 50–70 years after reaching replacement-level fertility because of the large proportion of young individuals who have yet to complete their reproduction. India reached below-replacement TFR (2.0) nationally per NFHS-5, but the large youth cohort (demographic dividend generation) will continue adding births in absolute numbers for decades. This is why India's population is projected to peak around 2064 before declining — even though TFR has fallen below 2.1.

Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.

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