World Food Day 2026: India Ranks 100th Among 122 Countries In Global Hunger Index

As the world prepares to observe World Food Day on Thursday, India continues to grapple with serious hunger and malnutrition challenges despite improvements in key nutrition indicators over the past two decades.

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The Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2026, released on October 14, places India 100th among 122 countries. With a score of 24.1, the country remains in the “serious” hunger category.

The index assesses hunger through four indicators: undernourishment, child stunting, child wasting and under-five mortality. These measures reflect different dimensions of food insecurity and malnutrition. A higher score indicates a more severe hunger situation.

India's Hunger Score Declines Over Two Decades

India's GHI score has fallen from 37 in 2006 to 24.1 in 2026, reflecting gradual progress in tackling hunger. The score stood at 28.8 in 2012 before declining to 25.8 in 2018.

Although the figures point to a sustained improvement, India's continued classification in the “serious” category highlights the challenges that remain.

Child Stunting Falls, But Wasting Remains High

The proportion of children under five affected by stunting declined from 50% in 2000 to 29.3% in 2026. Stunting, which affects physical growth, is commonly associated with prolonged undernutrition and repeated illness.

Despite the reduction, nearly three in 10 children under five continue to experience stunted growth.

Child wasting, which occurs when children are too thin for their height and may indicate acute undernutrition, presents a different picture.

The prevalence of wasting increased from 18% in 2000 to 20% in 2006 before dropping to 15% in 2012. However, it rose again to 19% in 2026, indicating that the problem has seen little overall improvement since 2000.

Undernourishment And Child Mortality Show Improvement

India has recorded progress in reducing undernourishment and deaths among children under five.

The proportion of the population experiencing undernourishment declined from 18.4% in 2000 to 9.8% in 2026.

Similarly, the under-five mortality rate fell from 9.2% to 2.7% during the same period, reflecting improvements in child survival.

India Trails Bangladesh And Nepal In Hunger Index

India's GHI score of 24.1 remains above both the global average of 18.1 and the South Asian average of 23.5, indicating a more severe hunger situation.

Among neighbouring countries, India performed better than Afghanistan, which recorded a score of 28.6, and Pakistan, which scored 25.5.

However, Bangladesh and Nepal fared better, registering scores of 19.2 and 14.5, respectively.

The findings highlight India's uneven progress in addressing hunger, with improvements in several nutrition indicators contrasting with persistently high levels of child wasting.