Child mortality in India
India: Child mortality was 2.66 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
2.66
Change on year
down 5.0%
World rank
63rd
of 200 countries
All-time high
43.36
in 1918
All-time low
2.66
in 2024
Years of data
108
1911–2024
Child mortality in India, 1911–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2024, child mortality in India stood at 2.66. That is the lowest value across all 108 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.0% on the previous year and down 42.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, child mortality in India peaked at 43.36 in 1918 and was at its lowest, 2.66, in 2024.
That places India 63rd out of 200 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Child mortality in India, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1911 | 33.34 | — |
| 1912 | 33.83 | +1.5% |
| 1913 | 31.71 | -6.3% |
| 1914 | 34.47 | +8.7% |
| 1915 | 32.85 | -4.7% |
| 1916 | 32.85 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 33.34 | +1.5% |
| 1918 | 43.36 | +30.1% |
| 1919 | 36.41 | -16.0% |
| 1920 | 31.71 | -12.9% |
| 1921 | 32.2 | +1.5% |
| 1922 | 28.44 | -11.7% |
| 1923 | 28.6 | +0.6% |
| 1924 | 30.73 | +7.4% |
| 1925 | 28.27 | -8.0% |
| 1926 | 30.73 | +8.7% |
| 1927 | 27.16 | -11.6% |
| 1928 | 28.11 | +3.5% |
| 1929 | 28.93 | +2.9% |
| 1930 | 29.42 | +1.7% |
| 1931 | 29.1 | -1.1% |
| 1932 | 27.47 | -5.6% |
| 1933 | 27.78 | +1.1% |
| 1934 | 30.41 | +9.5% |
| 1935 | 26.68 | -12.3% |
| 1936 | 26.35 | -1.2% |
| 1937 | 26.35 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 27.16 | +3.1% |
| 1939 | 25.32 | -6.8% |
| 1940 | 26.02 | +2.8% |
| 1941 | 25.67 | -1.3% |
| 1942 | 26.52 | +3.3% |
| 1943 | 26.85 | +1.2% |
| 1944 | 27.47 | +2.3% |
| 1945 | 24.43 | -11.1% |
| 1950 | 26.68 | +9.2% |
| 1953 | 26.82 | +0.5% |
| 1954 | 26.42 | -1.5% |
| 1955 | 26 | -1.6% |
| 1956 | 25.6 | -1.5% |
| 1957 | 25.22 | -1.5% |
| 1958 | 24.84 | -1.5% |
| 1959 | 24.48 | -1.4% |
| 1960 | 24.13 | -1.4% |
| 1961 | 23.81 | -1.3% |
| 1962 | 23.5 | -1.3% |
| 1963 | 23.22 | -1.2% |
| 1964 | 22.96 | -1.1% |
| 1965 | 22.7 | -1.1% |
| 1966 | 22.45 | -1.1% |
| 1967 | 22.21 | -1.1% |
| 1968 | 21.97 | -1.1% |
| 1969 | 21.71 | -1.2% |
| 1970 | 21.44 | -1.2% |
| 1971 | 21.14 | -1.4% |
| 1972 | 20.82 | -1.5% |
| 1973 | 20.45 | -1.8% |
| 1974 | 20.06 | -1.9% |
| 1975 | 19.61 | -2.2% |
| 1976 | 19.13 | -2.4% |
| 1977 | 18.61 | -2.7% |
| 1978 | 18.07 | -2.9% |
| 1979 | 17.52 | -3.0% |
| 1980 | 16.98 | -3.1% |
| 1981 | 16.46 | -3.1% |
| 1982 | 15.98 | -2.9% |
| 1983 | 15.52 | -2.9% |
| 1984 | 15.1 | -2.7% |
| 1985 | 14.68 | -2.8% |
| 1986 | 14.28 | -2.7% |
| 1987 | 13.88 | -2.8% |
| 1988 | 13.48 | -2.9% |
| 1989 | 13.09 | -2.9% |
| 1990 | 12.7 | -3.0% |
| 1991 | 12.34 | -2.8% |
| 1992 | 11.99 | -2.8% |
| 1993 | 11.65 | -2.8% |
| 1994 | 11.31 | -2.9% |
| 1995 | 10.97 | -3.0% |
| 1996 | 10.62 | -3.2% |
| 1997 | 10.27 | -3.3% |
| 1998 | 9.91 | -3.5% |
| 1999 | 9.54 | -3.7% |
| 2000 | 9.18 | -3.8% |
| 2001 | 8.81 | -4.0% |
| 2002 | 8.46 | -4.0% |
| 2003 | 8.11 | -4.1% |
| 2004 | 7.77 | -4.2% |
| 2005 | 7.43 | -4.4% |
| 2006 | 7.1 | -4.4% |
| 2007 | 6.78 | -4.5% |
| 2008 | 6.45 | -4.9% |
| 2009 | 6.12 | -5.1% |
| 2010 | 5.81 | -5.1% |
| 2011 | 5.5 | -5.3% |
| 2012 | 5.2 | -5.5% |
| 2013 | 4.91 | -5.6% |
| 2014 | 4.64 | -5.5% |
| 2015 | 4.37 | -5.8% |
| 2016 | 4.13 | -5.5% |
| 2017 | 3.9 | -5.6% |
| 2018 | 3.69 | -5.4% |
| 2019 | 3.49 | -5.4% |
| 2020 | 3.3 | -5.4% |
| 2021 | 3.12 | -5.5% |
| 2022 | 2.95 | -5.4% |
| 2023 | 2.8 | -5.1% |
| 2024 | 2.66 | -5.0% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 2.66 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.69, 72% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- India's 2.66 is above the median for South Asia, which is 2.11, 1.3× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Child mortality in India changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1918 | +30.1% | 33.34 | 43.36 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 34.68 | 31.71 | 43.36 | 9 |
| 1920s | 29.49 | 27.16 | 32.2 | 10 |
| 1930s | 27.6 | 25.32 | 30.41 | 10 |
| 1940s | 26.16 | 24.43 | 27.47 | 6 |
| 1950s | 25.76 | 24.48 | 26.82 | 8 |
| 1960s | 22.87 | 21.71 | 24.13 | 10 |
| 1970s | 19.68 | 17.52 | 21.44 | 10 |
| 1980s | 14.94 | 13.09 | 16.98 | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.13 | 9.54 | 12.7 | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.62 | 6.12 | 9.18 | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.56 | 3.49 | 5.81 | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.97 | 2.66 | 3.3 | 5 |
Countries ranked near India
- 60 Fiji 2.91 compare
- 61 Tajikistan 2.81 compare
- 62 Marshall Islands 2.67 compare
- 64 Philippines 2.65 compare
- 65 Guyana 2.52 compare
- 66 Nepal 2.51 compare
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)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 44,822 (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)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.04 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is child mortality in India?
- Child mortality in India was 2.66 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest child mortality recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 43.36 in 1918.
- What is the lowest child mortality recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.66 in 2024.
- How does India rank for child mortality?
- India ranks 63rd out of 200 countries with data for 2024.
- Is child mortality rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 42.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Child mortality. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 108 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).