Most people who are having kids in india are lower income people.
so i just don't understand when people say it's because of money issue, when people with comfy jobs fail to have babies, it's not about money.
1. Many men and women fear to commit to a relationship today and are increasingly remaining single, or marrying late (in their late 30's or 40's). Thus, even those who marry can't have a large family as the older you get the more fertility issues you have (along with additional anxieties of how to manage young kids when you are old).
2. For indian women in particular, it is also anxiety about loss of freedom if they can't work. Thus, even those who marry young, try to avoid having a large family as they fear it will be an impediment to their career (which means less financial freedom, and the fear of being under the "control" of a male spouse).
3. And finally there's the western capitalistic consumerism , where even spouse or a kid can be seen as an impediment to enjoying a consumerist lifestyle by the individual in their "pursuit of happiness".
The kids pick up on this lament consciously or unconsciously and realise that the more kids they will have, the worse the problem.
The "poor" people get subsidies and freebies, and the more children they have, the more sops state governments throw away at them.
I'm also told, but can't confirm it, another factor is social media pushing fancy vacations abroad spending their entire income.
Money matters but is not the primary.