India's hunger crisis deepens as GHI 2024 shows rising child malnutrition

Child undernutrition in India is closely linked to the poor health status of mothers as evidenced by the high prevalence of anaemia among women aged 15-49 years

India is currently the world’s fastest-growing economy. However, the recent Global Hunger Index (GHI) reveals a worrying reality: In 2024, India has a “serious” level of hunger among the 127 nations assessed. While India scored slightly better than Pakistan and Afghanistan, it lagged Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka in South Asia.  Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have consistently performed better than India despite ongoing crises (chart 1).

 

India’s ranking on the index, prepared by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe, has also slipped over the years, standing at 105 among 127 countries in 2024. However, it has shown