The 19th Global Hunger Index (GHI) report for 2024 has positioned India at 105th out of 127 countries, classifying it among nations experiencing ‘serious’ hunger challenges. This ranking places India below neighboring countries such as Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar, and Bangladesh, while it is positioned slightly above Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The GHI, collaboratively published by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe, aims to monitor global hunger and highlight regions that need urgent intervention. India’s score of 27.3 in the 2024 report indicates a serious level of hunger, with the report noting a concerning slight rise in undernourishment prevalence in the country in recent years.

While India’s score reflects some progress compared to its 2016 GHI score of 29.3—also classified as ‘serious’—it continues to fall behind its neighbors in the current standings. Historical data shows improvement, with scores of 38.4 in 2000 and 35.2 in 2008 indicating more severe hunger issues. However, substantial challenges remain.

It is important to mention that the 2024 GHI report cannot be directly compared to the previous year’s due to methodological changes and updated data. Nonetheless, it provides comparative figures for the years 2000, 2008, 2016, and 2024.

India faces significant child malnutrition issues, holding the highest global child wasting rate at 18.7%. The country also reports a child stunting rate of 35.5% and an under-five mortality rate of 2.9%, with an undernourishment prevalence of 13.7%. Despite marked improvements in child mortality rates since 2000, undernutrition among children remains a critical issue, with both wasting and stunting rates remaining alarmingly high. Although stunting has decreased since 2000, these indicators continue to pose serious public health challenges.

The 2024 GHI report stresses that global progress in combating hunger has stagnated since 2016, raising concerns about the feasibility of achieving the Zero Hunger goal by 2030. Out of the 127 countries evaluated, 42 still grapple with ‘alarming’ or ‘serious’ hunger conditions.

Additionally, the report highlights the interconnectedness of hunger, climate change, and gender inequality. It states that “discriminatory norms and gender-based violence often place women and sexual and gender minorities at heightened risk of food and nutrition insecurity and climate change impacts while hampering their ability to cope with these challenges.”