Der Spiegel, a German magazine, is facing backlash from Indians over a cartoon it published that many consider to have racist undertones. The cartoon was published after a UN report projected that India would soon overtake China as the world’s most populous country.
The cartoon depicted an overcrowded Indian train overtaking a modern Chinese bullet train on a parallel track with just two drivers inside, using a stereotypical view of India. Netizens criticized the magazine for failing to acknowledge India’s development in recent decades.
A Union Minister of State for Entrepreneurship, Skill Development, Electronics & Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, tweeted that India’s economy will soon be bigger than Germany’s, and therefore it was not wise to bet against India. Other government officials and lawmakers also criticized the cartoon for being in bad taste and not reflecting reality.
India’s population is projected to reach 1.4286 billion, surpassing China’s 1.4257 billion by mid-year, according to the UN’s ‘State of World Population’ report.
However, nearly half of India’s population (650 million) is below the age of 25, meaning the country will not hit its peak until 2065. India’s share of the population over 65 is also projected to remain below 20% until 2063 and will not reach 30% until 2100. This suggests that India will have ample opportunity to outpace countries like Germany in the economic race.
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