With India’s senior population projected to more than double, from 156.7 million in 2024 to 346.0 million by 2050, it’s time for us to recognize that we are no longer preparing for an ageing society, we are already living in one. This population transformation, driven by increasing life expectancy, declining fertility, and rapid urbanisation, is changing the nation’s social fabric. Eldercare is emerging as an urgent national priority.
Yet our systems, both public and private, are not fully equipped to meet the rising needs of seniors. The traditional joint family set-up, once the bedrock of care for seniors, is being replaced by nuclear households and smaller family units, driven by migration, changing values, and economic shifts. At the same time, a new generation of Indian seniors is emerging – more financially independent, health-conscious, and aspirational than their predecessors. They are not looking for passive care but are seeking interventions for a life of dignity, autonomy, and connection in their later years.
This evolving identity of the Indian senior calls for a reimagining of eldercare. Today, seniors are looking for purpose-built senior living communities that reflect these changing expectations and offer more than reactive healthcare or retirement housing. These are not ‘old-age homes’ of the past, but thoughtfully designed ecosystems that enable active ageing– seamlessly blending support and safety with independence and privacy.
The demand is clear. A recent JLL report estimates that the senior living market in India will grow over 300% by 2030, highlighting the need for more than 2.3 million housing units. This is not merely a social need, it’s a significant economic opportunity. Many older adults are actively choosing to move into senior living communities, not out of compulsion, but aspiration. They seek environments that recognise their individuality, honour their life stories, and enable them to thrive. With integrated healthcare, wellness programming, engaging social activities, and nutritious, chef-designed meals, modern senior living communities expand what care entails—they foster purpose, connection, and quality of life. The goal is no longer just to add years to life, but to add life to those years.
However, it isn’t just the service delivery that matters, it’s the infrastructure that enables it with purposefully built environment—wide corridors, anti-skid floors, emergency response systems, accessible design, social zones, and private areas.
Senior living cannot be retrofitted into conventional housing, it has to be designed to anticipate the challenges of ageing. Without this foundational infrastructure, even the best intent in care falls short. Real estate is not an adjunct to senior care; it is the very canvas on which care is delivered.
This is where real estate policy reform becomes essential. At present, senior living is broadly classified under the residential category, despite many projects integrating elements of hospitality and healthcare. This mismatch between classification and actual function leads to significant operational complexities and regulatory ambiguity.
The sector urgently needs its own dedicated land use classification, along with single-window clearance systems, priority lending status, and clear FDI guidelines to incentivise investment. State governments must allocate land for senior living in urban planning policies, along the lines of schools, hospitals, and EWS housing. Without this, developers face high entry barriers, delayed timelines, and cost inefficiencies that are ultimately passed on to the consumer.
Taxation is another friction point. Senior living projects often incur high GST rates (up to 18%) on services, making them more expensive than necessary. By rationalising GST on care-linked services and providing input tax credits, the government can reduce the cost burden and stimulate demand. Inclusion of senior care facilities under social infrastructure status—as seen in parts of the education and healthcare sectors—would open doors to more favourable financing, reduce compliance complexity, and enable faster scale-up.
To scale this model, however, policy must evolve in tandem with demographic reality. The recent NITI Aayog report on Senior Care Reforms has laid important groundwork by recognising the need for convergence between health, housing, insurance, and welfare. Regulatory clarity, tax and land incentives, insurance-backed care models, and public–private partnerships must come together to build a sustainable care economy that goes beyond stopgap fixes.
A look at the larger picture shows clearly that India’s rising senior population is a vital, growing community with wisdom, and immense economic potential. If supported with the right infrastructure and intent, seniors can not only live longer, but healthier, and more connected lives, reducing the pressure on families and public systems alike. The Silver Economy is projected to become one of the biggest drivers of growth, innovation, and job creation in the coming decade.
Senior care communities are no longer a niche urban luxury, but a social necessity. They provide a blueprint for what dignified ageing can look like in India: Safe, supported, stimulating, and self-directed. The question, then, is not whether India needs senior care communities. It’s how urgently we act to build them, because the future of ageing in India is already here.
(The article is authored by the Chairman – ASLI and MD and CEO – Antara Senior Living)
