The Future is Brown: Parag Khanna on How Asian Demographics and Global Migration Are Reshaping Humanity

Parag Khanna, Futurist, Founder and CEO, AlphaGeo.

If you have ever wondered what the future of humanity is, futurist Parag Khanna has a straightforward answer. According to Khanna, Founder and CEO of AlphaGeo who spoke at the NDTV World Summit 2025, "The future is brown."

When analyzing future trends, Khanna recommends a comprehensive perspective rather than examining technology, geopolitics, or social dynamics in isolation.

"The literal answer to the future of humanity lies in demographics. We the people. We don't need to be philosophical at all. The future of humanity is represented by today's young population," he explained.

These young populations comprise Gen Y (millennials), Gen Z (teenagers), and Gen Alpha (toddlers), Khanna noted. This demographic generally includes individuals under 40 years of age, as the futurist clarified.

"Asian youth constitutes the largest concentration of young people globally. Asia not only represents over half of the world's population but also accounts for an even greater proportion of tomorrow's global population. Quite literally, every day, week, month, and year, the world becomes more Asian demographically," Khanna stated.

Addressing the question about humanity's future, Khanna declared, "The future is brown, the future is also Asians. And wherever Asians decide to go, they take Asia with them."

People On The Move Like Never Before: Parag Khanna

Khanna observes unprecedented human mobility in our times. He identified five key drivers of migration: demographic imbalances, political upheaval, economic dislocation, technological disruption, and climate change.

"Never before in world history has there been such a significant imbalance between where elderly populations reside and where young populations are concentrated - both within and across nations. Bridging this gap between old and young to ensure intergenerational balance is crucial for fiscal sustainability," he emphasized.

Further elaborating on migration motivators, Khanna explained, "When technological disruptions, competition, industrial policies, and countries capturing the high positions in global value and supply chains lead to deindustrialization elsewhere - jobs disappear, people relocate. The pursuit of economic opportunity consistently drives mobility."

By late 2022, two years after the COVID-19 pandemic, migration reached unprecedented levels, surpassing the previous record set in 2019. Since then, global migration has continued to increase, Khanna added.

He urged India to adapt to the realities of climate volatility and develop strategies to reduce barriers to global mobility that affect everyone.