Infant mortality rate in India
India: Infant mortality rate was 2.3% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
2.3%
Change on year
down 5.2%
World rank
63rd
of 236 countries
All-time high
17.6%
in 1950
All-time low
2.3%
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Infant mortality rate in India, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of infants.
Analysis
In 2023, infant mortality rate in India stood at 2.3%. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is down 5.2% on the previous year and down 42.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rate in India peaked at 17.6% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 2.3%, in 2023.
That places India 63rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Infant mortality rate in India, year by year
| Year | % of infants | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 17.6% | — |
| 1951 | 17.4% | -1.5% |
| 1952 | 17.1% | -1.6% |
| 1953 | 16.9% | -1.4% |
| 1954 | 16.5% | -1.9% |
| 1955 | 16.3% | -1.5% |
| 1956 | 16.1% | -1.3% |
| 1957 | 15.9% | -1.1% |
| 1958 | 15.7% | -1.2% |
| 1959 | 15.5% | -1.2% |
| 1960 | 15.3% | -1.1% |
| 1961 | 15.2% | -0.9% |
| 1962 | 15.1% | -1.0% |
| 1963 | 14.9% | -0.9% |
| 1964 | 14.8% | -0.9% |
| 1965 | 15.3% | +3.7% |
| 1966 | 15.2% | -0.9% |
| 1967 | 15.0% | -0.9% |
| 1968 | 14.3% | -5.2% |
| 1969 | 14.1% | -1.1% |
| 1970 | 14.0% | -1.0% |
| 1971 | 13.8% | -1.1% |
| 1972 | 13.7% | -0.9% |
| 1973 | 13.5% | -1.4% |
| 1974 | 13.2% | -2.0% |
| 1975 | 13.0% | -1.7% |
| 1976 | 12.8% | -1.9% |
| 1977 | 12.5% | -2.0% |
| 1978 | 12.2% | -2.2% |
| 1979 | 11.9% | -2.3% |
| 1980 | 11.7% | -2.3% |
| 1981 | 11.4% | -2.4% |
| 1982 | 11.1% | -2.4% |
| 1983 | 10.8% | -2.4% |
| 1984 | 10.6% | -2.4% |
| 1985 | 10.3% | -2.4% |
| 1986 | 10.1% | -2.4% |
| 1987 | 9.8% | -2.4% |
| 1988 | 9.6% | -2.4% |
| 1989 | 9.4% | -2.4% |
| 1990 | 9.2% | -2.4% |
| 1991 | 8.9% | -2.4% |
| 1992 | 8.7% | -2.5% |
| 1993 | 8.5% | -2.5% |
| 1994 | 8.3% | -2.6% |
| 1995 | 8.1% | -2.7% |
| 1996 | 7.8% | -2.8% |
| 1997 | 7.6% | -2.9% |
| 1998 | 7.4% | -3.1% |
| 1999 | 7.1% | -3.2% |
| 2000 | 6.9% | -3.4% |
| 2001 | 6.7% | -3.4% |
| 2002 | 6.4% | -3.7% |
| 2003 | 6.2% | -3.7% |
| 2004 | 5.9% | -3.7% |
| 2005 | 5.7% | -4.0% |
| 2006 | 5.5% | -4.1% |
| 2007 | 5.2% | -4.2% |
| 2008 | 5.0% | -4.4% |
| 2009 | 4.8% | -4.6% |
| 2010 | 4.6% | -4.8% |
| 2011 | 4.3% | -4.9% |
| 2012 | 4.1% | -5.1% |
| 2013 | 3.9% | -5.1% |
| 2014 | 3.7% | -5.4% |
| 2015 | 3.5% | -5.4% |
| 2016 | 3.3% | -5.4% |
| 2017 | 3.1% | -5.4% |
| 2018 | 3.0% | -5.4% |
| 2019 | 2.8% | -5.3% |
| 2020 | 2.7% | -5.2% |
| 2021 | 2.5% | -5.2% |
| 2022 | 2.4% | -5.2% |
| 2023 | 2.3% | -5.2% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 2.3% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.0%, 76% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- India's 2.3% is above the median for South Asia, which is 2.1%, 1.1× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 16.5% | 15.5% | 17.6% | 10 |
| 1960s | 14.9% | 14.1% | 15.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 13.1% | 11.9% | 14.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 10.5% | 9.4% | 11.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.2% | 7.1% | 9.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.8% | 4.8% | 6.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.6% | 2.8% | 4.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.5% | 2.3% | 2.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near India
- 60 Western Sahara 2.4% compare
- 61 Fiji 2.3% compare
- 62 Bangladesh 2.3% compare
- 64 Marshall Islands 2.2% compare
- 65 Nepal 2.2% compare
- 66 Guyana 2.1% 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)
- 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 infant mortality rate in India?
- Infant mortality rate in India was 2.3% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest infant mortality rate recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 17.6% in 1950.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rate recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.3% in 2023.
- How does India rank for infant mortality rate?
- India ranks 63rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is infant mortality rate rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 42.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Infant mortality rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of newborns who die before reaching the age of one.