Number of people who are undernourished in India

India: Number of people who are undernourished was 172.10 million in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
172.10 million
Change on year
down 10.4%
World rank
1st
of 130 countries
All-time high
247.00 million
in 2004
All-time low
143.90 million
in 2017
Years of data
23
2001–2023

Number of people who are undernourished in India, 2001–2023

050.0M100.0M150.0M200.0M250.0M2001201220232001: 194.9M2002: 216.3M2003: 236.8M2004: 247.0M2005: 243.9M2006: 222.2M2007: 197.2M2008: 185.1M2009: 184.3M2010: 181.2M2011: 178.5M2012: 171.0M2013: 166.4M2014: 165.0M2015: 161.2M2016: 155.7M2017: 143.9M2018: 144.7M2019: 164.5M2020: 188.4M2021: 201.9M2022: 192.0M2023: 172.1M

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization (http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home).

Analysis

India recorded 172.10 million for number of people who are undernourished in 2023.

The figure is down 10.4% on the previous year and up 3.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, number of people who are undernourished in India peaked at 247.00 million in 2004 and was at its lowest, 143.90 million, in 2017.

That places India 1st out of 130 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 23 years of available data.

Number of people who are undernourished in India, year by year

Annual values for Number of people who are undernourished in India, 2001 to 2023.
Year Value Change
2001 194.90 million
2002 216.30 million +11.0%
2003 236.80 million +9.5%
2004 247.00 million +4.3%
2005 243.90 million -1.3%
2006 222.20 million -8.9%
2007 197.20 million -11.3%
2008 185.10 million -6.1%
2009 184.30 million -0.4%
2010 181.20 million -1.7%
2011 178.50 million -1.5%
2012 171.00 million -4.2%
2013 166.40 million -2.7%
2014 165.00 million -0.8%
2015 161.20 million -2.3%
2016 155.70 million -3.4%
2017 143.90 million -7.6%
2018 144.70 million +0.6%
2019 164.50 million +13.7%
2020 188.40 million +14.5%
2021 201.90 million +7.2%
2022 192.00 million -4.9%
2023 172.10 million -10.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 214.19 million 184.30 million 247.00 million 9
2010s 163.21 million 143.90 million 181.20 million 10
2020s 188.60 million 172.10 million 201.90 million 4

Countries ranked near India

  1. 2 Nigeria 45.40 million compare
  2. 3 Pakistan 40.90 million compare
  3. 4 Democratic Republic of Congo 40.70 million compare

See the full ranking of 172 places →

More health data for India

All data for India →

Frequently asked questions

What is number of people who are undernourished in India?
Number of people who are undernourished in India was 172.10 million in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization (http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home).
What is the highest number of people who are undernourished recorded in India?
The highest recorded value was 247.00 million in 2004.
What is the lowest number of people who are undernourished recorded in India?
The lowest recorded value was 143.90 million in 2017.
How does India rank for number of people who are undernourished?
India ranks 1st out of 130 countries with data for 2023.
Is number of people who are undernourished rising or falling in India?
Over the last ten years it is up 3.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this India data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization (http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home), published as part of Number of people who are undernourished. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Number of people who are undernourished in India. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization (http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home). Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/number-of-people-who-are-undernourished/india/

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About this data

Indicator
Number of people who are undernourished
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization (http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
172 places, 3,649 data points, 2001–2023
Last refreshed

Number of people who are undernourished shows the number of people whose habitual food consumption is insufficient to provide the dietary energy levels that are required to maintain a normal active and healthy life.