Infant mortality by sex in India
India: Infant mortality by sex was 2.36 in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
2.36
Change on year
down 4.3%
World rank
66th
of 199 countries
All-time high
17.26
in 1953
All-time low
2.36
in 2024
Years of data
72
1953–2024
Infant mortality by sex in India, 1953–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2024, infant mortality by sex in India stood at 2.36. That is the lowest value across all 72 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.3% on the previous year and down 37.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality by sex in India peaked at 17.26 in 1953 and was at its lowest, 2.36, in 2024.
That places India 66th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 72 years of available data.
Infant mortality by sex in India, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1953 | 17.26 | — |
| 1954 | 17.02 | -1.4% |
| 1955 | 16.78 | -1.4% |
| 1956 | 16.5 | -1.6% |
| 1957 | 16.27 | -1.4% |
| 1958 | 16.02 | -1.5% |
| 1959 | 15.79 | -1.4% |
| 1960 | 15.58 | -1.4% |
| 1961 | 15.39 | -1.2% |
| 1962 | 15.19 | -1.3% |
| 1963 | 15.02 | -1.1% |
| 1964 | 14.85 | -1.1% |
| 1965 | 14.7 | -1.0% |
| 1966 | 14.56 | -0.9% |
| 1967 | 14.42 | -1.0% |
| 1968 | 14.27 | -1.0% |
| 1969 | 14.12 | -1.1% |
| 1970 | 13.93 | -1.4% |
| 1971 | 13.72 | -1.5% |
| 1972 | 13.51 | -1.6% |
| 1973 | 13.27 | -1.7% |
| 1974 | 13.02 | -1.9% |
| 1975 | 12.75 | -2.0% |
| 1976 | 12.45 | -2.4% |
| 1977 | 12.14 | -2.5% |
| 1978 | 11.8 | -2.8% |
| 1979 | 11.48 | -2.8% |
| 1980 | 11.16 | -2.8% |
| 1981 | 10.86 | -2.7% |
| 1982 | 10.59 | -2.5% |
| 1983 | 10.33 | -2.4% |
| 1984 | 10.06 | -2.6% |
| 1985 | 9.82 | -2.4% |
| 1986 | 9.57 | -2.5% |
| 1987 | 9.31 | -2.8% |
| 1988 | 9.08 | -2.4% |
| 1989 | 8.86 | -2.5% |
| 1990 | 8.65 | -2.3% |
| 1991 | 8.44 | -2.4% |
| 1992 | 8.24 | -2.4% |
| 1993 | 8.04 | -2.4% |
| 1994 | 7.84 | -2.5% |
| 1995 | 7.63 | -2.6% |
| 1996 | 7.44 | -2.6% |
| 1997 | 7.22 | -2.9% |
| 1998 | 7.01 | -2.9% |
| 1999 | 6.85 | -2.2% |
| 2000 | 6.61 | -3.6% |
| 2001 | 6.38 | -3.5% |
| 2002 | 6.14 | -3.6% |
| 2003 | 5.93 | -3.6% |
| 2004 | 5.79 | -2.4% |
| 2005 | 5.56 | -3.9% |
| 2006 | 5.38 | -3.3% |
| 2007 | 5.17 | -3.9% |
| 2008 | 4.96 | -4.0% |
| 2009 | 4.76 | -4.0% |
| 2010 | 4.54 | -4.7% |
| 2011 | 4.34 | -4.3% |
| 2012 | 4.15 | -4.5% |
| 2013 | 3.95 | -4.7% |
| 2014 | 3.77 | -4.7% |
| 2015 | 3.59 | -4.7% |
| 2016 | 3.43 | -4.7% |
| 2017 | 3.26 | -4.7% |
| 2018 | 3.12 | -4.6% |
| 2019 | 2.97 | -4.6% |
| 2020 | 2.84 | -4.5% |
| 2021 | 2.71 | -4.5% |
| 2022 | 2.59 | -4.5% |
| 2023 | 2.47 | -4.6% |
| 2024 | 2.36 | -4.3% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 2.36 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.15, 75% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- India's 2.36 is above the median for South Asia, which is 1.94, 1.2× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 16.52 | 15.79 | 17.26 | 7 |
| 1960s | 14.81 | 14.12 | 15.58 | 10 |
| 1970s | 12.81 | 11.48 | 13.93 | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.96 | 8.86 | 11.16 | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.74 | 6.85 | 8.65 | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.67 | 4.76 | 6.61 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.71 | 2.97 | 4.54 | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.59 | 2.36 | 2.84 | 5 |
Countries ranked near India
- 63 Niue 2.45 compare
- 64 Nepal 2.41 compare
- 65 Philippines 2.4 compare
- 67 Venezuela, República Bolivariana de 2.3 compare
- 68 Micronesia, Federated States of 2.29 compare
- 69 Egypt, Arab Republic of 2.23 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)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates 1,332 (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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is infant mortality by sex in India?
- Infant mortality by sex in India was 2.36 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest infant mortality by sex recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 17.26 in 1953.
- What is the lowest infant mortality by sex recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.36 in 2024.
- How does India rank for infant mortality by sex?
- India ranks 66th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is infant mortality by sex rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 37.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Infant mortality by sex. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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