>>That is to reduce their populations through sanctions, blockades, starvation and outright war.

Speaking as Indian, Our population growth happened when we were poor, and masses were uneducated/illiterate.

I have one more theory that- Population growth happens when poor people have access to lots of carbohydrates. Plus having lots of children is somewhat akin to having meat robot automatons whom you can send for physical work and make money.

If you want to use sanctions to do reduce population it doesn't work in the modern era. Poor people eat well and make babies.