Number of child deaths by region in India
India: Number of child deaths by region was 615,030 in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
615,030
Change on year
down 5.4%
World rank
2nd
of 195 countries
All-time high
4.51 million
in 1972
All-time low
615,030
in 2024
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Number of child deaths by region in India, 1960–2024
Source: UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, UN Population Division), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2024, number of child deaths by region in India stood at 615,030. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
The figure is down 5.4% on the previous year and down 48.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of child deaths by region in India peaked at 4.51 million in 1972 and was at its lowest, 615,030, in 2024.
That places India 2nd out of 195 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Number of child deaths by region in India, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 4.32 million | — |
| 1961 | 4.34 million | +0.5% |
| 1962 | 4.37 million | +0.6% |
| 1963 | 4.40 million | +0.7% |
| 1964 | 4.43 million | +0.8% |
| 1965 | 4.45 million | +0.6% |
| 1966 | 4.47 million | +0.3% |
| 1967 | 4.48 million | +0.3% |
| 1968 | 4.49 million | +0.3% |
| 1969 | 4.49 million | -0.0% |
| 1970 | 4.49 million | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 4.50 million | +0.2% |
| 1972 | 4.51 million | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 4.50 million | -0.1% |
| 1974 | 4.49 million | -0.3% |
| 1975 | 4.45 million | -0.9% |
| 1976 | 4.40 million | -1.0% |
| 1977 | 4.34 million | -1.4% |
| 1978 | 4.26 million | -1.9% |
| 1979 | 4.19 million | -1.6% |
| 1980 | 4.14 million | -1.2% |
| 1981 | 4.09 million | -1.2% |
| 1982 | 4.04 million | -1.4% |
| 1983 | 3.99 million | -1.2% |
| 1984 | 3.95 million | -1.0% |
| 1985 | 3.90 million | -1.3% |
| 1986 | 3.85 million | -1.3% |
| 1987 | 3.78 million | -1.7% |
| 1988 | 3.70 million | -2.2% |
| 1989 | 3.61 million | -2.2% |
| 1990 | 3.52 million | -2.5% |
| 1991 | 3.43 million | -2.5% |
| 1992 | 3.35 million | -2.5% |
| 1993 | 3.26 million | -2.6% |
| 1994 | 3.18 million | -2.6% |
| 1995 | 3.09 million | -2.7% |
| 1996 | 3.00 million | -2.9% |
| 1997 | 2.91 million | -3.2% |
| 1998 | 2.81 million | -3.3% |
| 1999 | 2.71 million | -3.4% |
| 2000 | 2.62 million | -3.3% |
| 2001 | 2.54 million | -3.2% |
| 2002 | 2.44 million | -3.9% |
| 2003 | 2.33 million | -4.6% |
| 2004 | 2.21 million | -4.9% |
| 2005 | 2.10 million | -5.3% |
| 2006 | 1.98 million | -5.8% |
| 2007 | 1.86 million | -5.9% |
| 2008 | 1.75 million | -5.7% |
| 2009 | 1.66 million | -5.4% |
| 2010 | 1.56 million | -5.8% |
| 2011 | 1.47 million | -6.2% |
| 2012 | 1.38 million | -6.2% |
| 2013 | 1.28 million | -6.6% |
| 2014 | 1.18 million | -7.8% |
| 2015 | 1.10 million | -7.1% |
| 2016 | 1.04 million | -5.6% |
| 2017 | 967,313 | -6.8% |
| 2018 | 903,511 | -6.6% |
| 2019 | 847,867 | -6.2% |
| 2020 | 785,261 | -7.4% |
| 2021 | 730,705 | -6.9% |
| 2022 | 687,978 | -5.8% |
| 2023 | 649,811 | -5.5% |
| 2024 | 615,030 | -5.4% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 615,030 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 9,859, 62.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- India's 615,030 is above the median for South Asia, which is 8,078, 76.1× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.43 million | 4.32 million | 4.49 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.41 million | 4.19 million | 4.51 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.90 million | 3.61 million | 4.14 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.13 million | 2.71 million | 3.52 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.15 million | 1.66 million | 2.62 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.17 million | 847,867 | 1.56 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 693,757 | 615,030 | 785,261 | 5 |
Countries ranked near India
More health data for India
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.12 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.4372 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,332 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 44,822 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 38 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.3809 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0372 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.5922 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of child deaths by region in India?
- Number of child deaths by region in India was 615,030 in 2024, according to UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, UN Population Division), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of child deaths by region recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 4.51 million in 1972.
- What is the lowest number of child deaths by region recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 615,030 in 2024.
- How does India rank for number of child deaths by region?
- India ranks 2nd out of 195 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of child deaths by region rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 48.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, UN Population Division), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of child deaths by region. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The estimated number of children under five years old who die each year.