What may be seen as the result of an economist's surplus labor ultimately led to an epidemic. India's population, estimated at 1.35 billion, suffers from widespread poverty as more than 37% of its population lives below the poverty line. (Economy Watch) This surplus of labor has driven the price of labor in India to incredibly low levels, hence outsourcing has become rampant. Low labor prices, combined with exclusion due to the caste system and high dependence on agriculture, have amplified poverty which, in turn, has given rise to the largest population – 2.3 million – within of a nation's borders to be infected with HIV/AIDS. . (Indian statistics on HIV and AIDS.) Although those who are infected represent less than 1% of the total population, the environmental conditions of the society presided over by India are conducive to the rapid spread of this problem. More importantly, among those who are infected, 39% are women, which increases the likelihood of parent-to-child transmission of this STI (sexually transmitted infection). While a full 40% of the HIV-carrying population are women, only a fraction of a percent of those women who choose to undergo screening test positive for the infection which indicates a serious problem: those who have it, not they are aware of it or choose not to. be screened*. Nearly 85% of transfers occur through sexual transmission, 5% through parent-to-child transmission, and the remainder through injecting drug use. As noted, red light districts in India have seen dramatic increases and have some of the highest levels of AIDS incidence (50% in Mumbai and Pune), but other regions of the country are not. ......ohen, J. "HIV/AIDS IN INDIA: HIV/AIDS: India's Many Epidemics." Science 304.5670 (2004): 504-09. Print.Cohen, J. “HIV/AIDS IN INDIA: HIV/AIDS: Till Death Do Us Part.” Science 304.5670 (2004): 513-17. Print."HIV/AIDS." UNICEF INDIA. 2007. Network. December 4, 2010. "Poverty in India | Economy Watch." World, United States, China, India Economy, Investments, Finance, Credit Cards | Cheap watch. Network. 08 December 2010. "Statistics on HIV and AIDS in India." AIDS and HIV Information from the AIDS Charity AVERT. Network. 05 December 2010. "Stigma, discrimination and attitudes towards HIV and AIDS". AIDS and HIV Information from the AIDS Charity AVERT. Network. 07 December. 2010. .