We proudly say that India is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. At the same time, in the Global Hunger Index 2026, we stand at 100th position among 122 countries. In this report, released on 14 October 2026, India's score is 24.1, placing the country in the "serious" category. India has remained in this category since 2012. Last year, we were ranked 102nd among 123 countries, which means we have improved by two places this year. But this marginal improvement in ranking is no reason to feel satisfied. Behind these figures are malnourished children, mothers exhausted by anaemia, and families in tribal hamlets struggling to get two square meals a day.
The index is published every year by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe. Four indicators are used to measure hunger: the proportion of undernourished people in the population, stunting among children under five, low weight for height (wasting) among children in the same age group, and child mortality before the age of five. The score is calculated on a scale of zero to 100. The lower the score, the better the situation. The global average score is 18.1, while the South Asian average is 23.5. India's score of 24.1 is worse than both averages. In other words, our situation is below the global average, and even within our own region, the picture is far from satisfactory.
In 2006, India's score was around 37. It has now fallen to 24.1. The proportion of undernourished people in the country was 18.4 per cent in 2000. It has now declined to 9.8 per cent. In the previous reference period, this proportion was 10.5 per cent. The prevalence of stunting among children, which stood at 50 per cent in 2000, has fallen to 29.3 per cent. The mortality rate among children under five has declined from 9.2 per cent to 2.7 per cent. This progress has been made possible by the expansion of immunisation, institutional deliveries, maternal and child health services, and food grain distribution. However, if we look beyond these achievements, about 10 per cent of the country's population still does not get enough food, and nearly three out of every ten children are stunted for their age. Given India's population, these figures translate into crores of people.
The most worrying aspect of this report is the prevalence of child wasting, or low weight for height. It has risen from 16.9 per cent in the previous reference period to 19 per cent. This is the highest rate in South Asia. According to the report, the proportion has remained alarmingly high in India in every reference year. This means that we have made little progress on this front over the past two decades, and the situation has deteriorated further this year. Wasting is considered a sign of acute malnutrition. Such children have weakened immunity and fall ill repeatedly. If they do not receive timely treatment, their lives may even be at risk. The fact that nearly one in every five children is affected by this condition is a serious concern for the country.
A comparison with neighbouring countries makes the picture even clearer. Nepal ranks 72nd, with a score of 14.5. Bangladesh stands at 84th, with a score of 19.2. Both countries fall into the "moderate" category. Sri Lanka is also in the moderate category. Pakistan ranks 106th, with a score of 25.5, placing it behind India. Afghanistan's situation is also worse than ours. In Bangladesh, child stunting has declined from 54.9 per cent in 2000 to 24 per cent. The rate of wasting there is 12.9 per cent, compared with 19 per cent in India. A country once considered poorer than ours has moved ahead of us on these indicators. The emphasis placed on women's health, sanitation, and community-level nutrition programmes is considered one of the reasons for this progress.
The Government of India has objected to this index every year. Its argument is that three of the four indicators relate to children under five and do not represent the entire population. Questions have also been raised about the methodology. No index is perfect, and these objections may have some merit. However, the high prevalence of wasting is not reflected only in the global index. It has also been evident for a long time in India's own National Family Health Surveys. This means that the problem has not been created by the way the numbers are calculated; it exists on the ground. Instead of spending energy arguing over the index's methodology, it would be wiser to acknowledge the reality before us and take action.
Notably, there is no shortage of food in the country today. Food grain production has reached record levels. Under the National Food Security Act, more than 81 crore people receive free food grains through the public distribution system. Schemes such as anganwadis, the midday meal programme, and Poshan Abhiyaan operate across the country. Analysts say that the expansion of food grain production and the social safety net has played an important role in reducing undernourishment. Even so, child malnutrition persists. The reason is that filling the stomach and obtaining adequate nutrition are two different things. Rice, wheat, sorghum, and millet provide calories. However, if nutritious foods such as pulses, vegetables, fruits, eggs, milk, and oilseeds are missing from the diet, children's growth suffers. Poor and rural families cannot afford such a diverse diet. The report has highlighted issues such as dietary quality, the distribution of food within households, child-rearing practices, and the cost of nutritious food.
Malnutrition often begins even before a child is born. If a mother does not receive adequate nutrition, suffers from anaemia, marries at a young age, and does not receive proper care during pregnancy, she may give birth to a low-birth-weight baby. That child may remain malnourished, and if the child is a girl, she may grow up to experience the same cycle. Many rural women toil in the fields, manage household responsibilities, and eat whatever is left after everyone else in the family has eaten. This situation often remains unchanged even during pregnancy. That is why child nutrition cannot be separated from women's health, education, and decision-making power. This cycle can be broken only if the nutrition of adolescent girls, marriage at the appropriate age, antenatal check-ups, and guidance on breastfeeding are addressed together.
Behind the national average, much harsher conditions in many regions remain hidden. Malnutrition rates tend to be higher in tribal hamlets, hilly and remote areas, forest-dependent villages, and communities of migrant families. Areas such as Melghat, Nandurbar, Gadchiroli, and Gondia in Maharashtra, as well as tribal-dominated regions of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat, are examples. In these places, the problem is not limited to food. There is also a lack of roads, health centres, clean drinking water, and sanitation facilities. Tubers, wild vegetables, mahua flowers, and traditional coarse grains gathered from forests once formed an important part of tribal diets. Restrictions on forest rights, changing agricultural practices, and the decline of traditional crops have reduced this diversity. Seasonal migration in search of employment also means that children often miss anganwadi services, vaccinations, and nutritious meals. Such areas need targeted interventions suited to local needs. Including traditional foods and coarse grains from these regions in nutrition programmes would make them more effective. Linking women's self-help groups with supplementary nutrition programmes at anganwadis and local food production could improve both nutrition and livelihoods.
This year's report has issued another warning. It refers to the India Meteorological Department's forecast of a 60 per cent probability of below-average rainfall in the monsoon belt, which covers much of the country's rain-fed agricultural area. If rainfall becomes erratic, agricultural production may decline, farmers' incomes may fall, food prices may rise, and poor families will be the first to bear the brunt. The report is titled "No Security Without Food Security." Hunger is increasing around the world because of conflict, climate change, economic instability, and inflation. Since 2018, the hunger situation has deteriorated further in 32 countries. In these changing circumstances, rain-fed agriculture must be supported through irrigation, crop insurance, and climate-resilient seeds. Encouraging the cultivation of coarse grains would strengthen both village-level food security and farmers' incomes.
The paradox of economic growth alongside hunger also needs serious consideration. The country's overall income is growing, but the benefits are not reaching everyone equally. Workers in the unorganised sector, landless agricultural labourers, small and marginal farmers, women, and Dalit and tribal communities struggle to afford nutritious food amid rising prices. Economic growth alone cannot serve as the yardstick of development. Ensuring that every child receives adequate nutrition is equally important. A child who is malnourished today may become an adult with reduced capabilities tomorrow. Their education may remain incomplete, their income may remain low, and their burden of illness may increase. The country will have to pay the price for this, generation after generation. Therefore, spending on nutrition is not merely an expense; it is one of the most valuable investments in the country's future.
To find a way forward, we must focus on nutrition rather than merely distributing food grains. The inclusion of pulses, eggs, milk, oilseeds, leafy vegetables, and coarse grains must be increased in the public distribution system and in meals served at anganwadis and schools. Giving priority to locally grown food would help keep costs under control while providing local farmers with a reliable market. Regular weight and height checks must be conducted to identify severely malnourished children early, and treatment in nutrition rehabilitation centres must be provided wherever necessary. Anganwadi workers and ASHA workers are the most important links in this process. They must be provided with adequate honorariums, training, and equipment. Clean drinking water, sanitation, and healthcare services must also be integrated into these efforts because a child who repeatedly suffers from diarrhoea or other infections cannot fully benefit from the food they eat. Social audits of government schemes, the participation of gram sabhas, and reliable data can help ensure that benefits reach the intended beneficiaries. Voluntary and community organisations also have a valuable role to play in this work.
Hunger and malnutrition cannot be eliminated through government schemes alone. Society must also participate in the effort. Avoiding food waste, promoting local and nutritious foods, identifying needy families in our neighbourhoods, and participating in the activities of schools and anganwadis are some of the steps we can take as citizens. The media, too, should not discuss the index for a few days after its release and then move on. Malnutrition must remain a subject of public discussion throughout the year, with regular reporting on the actual conditions in rural areas.
The Global Hunger Index 2026 tells us two things. First, India has made real progress over the past two decades. Its score has fallen from 37 to 24.1, child stunting has declined, child mortality has dropped sharply, and undernourishment has nearly halved. Second, this progress has slowed, and the prevalence of child wasting has risen again. Securing the 100th position is not a moment for pride but an opportunity for introspection. Neighbours such as Nepal and Bangladesh have shown that appropriate policies and effective implementation can help overcome malnutrition, even with limited resources. India has the food grains, the infrastructure, and the experience. What is needed is a shift from merely filling stomachs to providing nutritious food, and from announcing schemes to delivering tangible results. Ensuring that every child receives adequate and nourishing food is not an act of charity; it is a fundamental right. Only when the government, society, and organisations work together to make this right a reality can the dream of a hunger-free and malnutrition-free India come true.
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*Contact: vikasmeshram04@gmail.com
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