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 the hundredth position in a list of 122 countries. In this report, released on 14 October 2026, India’s score is 24.1, and the country falls in the “serious” category since 2012. Behind these figures are malnourished children, mothers exhausted by anaemia, and families in tribal hamlets struggling to get two square meals a day.
This 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 of the same age group, and child mortality before the age of five.
The percentage of undernourished people in the country was 18.4 in 2000. It has now come down to 9.8 percent. Stunting among children, which stood at fifty percent in 2000, has come down to 29.3 percent. The mortality rate of children under five has fallen from 9.2 percent to 2.7 percent. But if we look beyond this success, about ten percent of the people in the country still do not get enough food, and nearly 30% children are stunted for their age. Considering India’s population, these numbers run into crores.
The most worrying aspect of this report is the prevalence of child wasting, that is, low weight for height. It has risen from 16.9 percent in the previous reference period to 19 percent. This is the highest rate in South Asia. Such children have weak immunity, fall ill repeatedly, and if they do not receive treatment in time, even their lives are at risk. That nearly one in every five children is in this condition is serious 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 of these countries are in the “moderate” category. Sri Lanka is also in the moderate category. The rate of wasting in Bangladesh is 12.9 percent, whereas in India it is 19 percent. A country that was once considered poorer than us has moved ahead of us on these measures. The emphasis placed on women’s health, sanitation, and community-level nutrition programmes is considered one of the reasons for this.
The Government of India has objected to this index every year. Questions are also raised about the methodology. But the high prevalence of wasting has also been visible for a long time in India’s own National Family Health Surveys. That means the problem has not been created by number-crunching; it exists on the ground. Instead of spending energy arguing over the index’s methodology, it would be wiser to accept the reality in front of us and act on it.
Notably, there is no scarcity of food in the country today. Schemes such as anganwadis, the midday meal, and the Poshan Abhiyaan run across the country. Analysts say that the expansion of grain production and the safety net was important in reducing undernourishment. Even so, child malnutrition persists. The reason is that filling the stomach and receiving nutrition are two different things. Rice, wheat, sorghum, and millet provide calories. But if nutritious foods such as pulses, vegetables, fruits, eggs, milk, and oilseeds are absent from the diet, children’s growth is stunted.
Malnutrition often begins even before a child is born. If a mother has not received adequate nutrition, suffers from anaemia, was married at a young age, and did not get proper care during pregnancy, she gives birth to a low-birth-weight baby. That baby remains malnourished, and if it is a girl, she grows up and continues the same cycle. Many rural women toil in the fields, manage the household, and eat whatever is left after everyone else in the family has eaten. Only if the nutrition of adolescent girls, marriage at the right age, check-ups during pregnancy, and guidance on breastfeeding are taken up together can this cycle be broken.
Behind the national average, much harsher conditions in many regions remain hidden. Rates of malnutrition appear higher in tribal hamlets, hilly and remote areas, forest-dependent villages, and among migrating families. Tribal-populated belts in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat, are examples of this. In these places, the problem is not only about food. Traditional foods obtained from the forest used to be part of the tribal diet. Restrictions on forest rights, and the decline of traditional crops have reduced this diversity. Because of seasonal migration for employment, children do not receive anganwadi services, vaccinations, and nutritious meals regularly. Such areas need separate interventions suited to local needs. If women’s self-help groups are linked with the supplementary nutrition provided at anganwadis and with local food production, both nutrition and livelihoods can be achieved.
The report refers to the India Meteorological Department’s forecast of a 60 percent probability of below-average rainfall in the monsoon belt. The title of the report is “No Security Without Food Security.” Hunger is rising in the world because of conflict, climate change, economic instability, and inflation. In these changing circumstances, it is essential to support rain-fed agriculture with irrigation, crop insurance, and climate-resilient seeds. If the cultivation of coarse grains is encouraged, it will strengthen both the food security of villages and the incomes of farmers.
The paradox between economic growth and hunger also needs to be looked at seriously. Workers in the unorganised sector, landless farm labourers, small and marginal farmers, women, Muslim, Dalit and Adivasi communities cannot afford nutritious food amid rising inflation. The yardstick of development cannot be economic growth alone. Whether every child gets adequate nutrition is equally important. A child who is malnourished today becomes a citizen of reduced capacity tomorrow. Therefore, spending on nutrition is not an expense; it is the most profitable investment in the country’s future.
To find a way out, we must first focus on nutrition rather than merely distributing grain. If locally grown food is given priority, costs will remain under control and local farmers will find a market. Regular weight-and-height check-ups and, where necessary, treatment in nutrition rehabilitation centres must be implemented effectively. In this, anganwadi workers and ASHA workers must be given proper honorariums, training, and equipment. Social audits of schemes, the participation of gram sabhas, and reliable data will make it possible to check whether benefits reach the real beneficiaries.
The media too should not discuss the index for a few days after it is released and then stop. News about malnutrition should be presented throughout the year, along with the actual conditions in rural areas.
Reaching the 100th position is a moment for introspection. Neighbours like Nepal and Bangladesh have shown that with the right policies and effective implementation, malnutrition can be overcome even with limited resources. India has the grain, the machinery, and the experience. What is needed is a move from filling stomachs to providing nutritious food, and from announcing schemes to delivering results.
