The Crossbill News Desk
India continues to face a serious hunger burden, ranking 100th among 122 countries in the 2026 Global Hunger Index (GHI), with limited progress in tackling undernutrition and a worsening child wasting rate, according to the latest report.
India scored 24.1 on the index, remaining in the “serious” category, where it has been placed since 2012. The GHI is jointly published by German aid agency Welthungerhilfe (WHH) and Irish organisation Concern Worldwide, in collaboration with the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV) and Swiss organisation Helvetas. The index is released once every six years.
The report estimates that 9.8% of India’s population is undernourished, while 29.3% of children under five are stunted, a rate classified as very high for the first time. Child wasting, which reflects acute undernutrition, has climbed to 19%, the highest level in South Asia, compared with 16.9% in the previous reference period.
The pace of India’s improvement has also slowed considerably. Its GHI score fell by just 1.7 points between 2018 and 2026, from 25.8, compared with an 8.2-point improvement between 2006 and 2012.
South Asia recorded a GHI score of 23.5, placing the region in the serious category. Its child wasting rate stood at 15.8%, the highest among all regions.
“The situation in South Asia also remains serious (GHI 23.5). In many countries, progress has stagnated in recent years. In two countries, and Pakistan, the situation has deteriorated compared to 2018. Remarkable progress has been made in Nepal, while the situation in Bangladesh and India is also improving,” the report notes.
The GHI measures hunger at global, regional and national levels using four indicators: the proportion of the population with insufficient calorie intake, the prevalence of stunting among children under five, child wasting and mortality among children before their fifth birthday. Together, these indicators capture different dimensions of undernutrition, including its long-term effects and the risks posed by inadequate diets and unhealthy living conditions.
Beyond country-level hunger figures, the report identifies armed conflict as a major driver of food insecurity, noting that state-based conflicts have reached their highest level since World War II. Wars and geopolitical tensions have disrupted international trade and contributed to rising food prices, including the effects of Russia’s war against Ukraine and the war against Iran. As food becomes more expensive, vulnerable households may resort to cheaper, less nutritious meals or skip meals altogether, increasing the risk of malnutrition.
Climate change is adding to these pressures through extreme weather events and crop failures, while overlapping crises are undermining the resilience of food systems. For South Asia, the report warns of an intensifying El Niño and the possibility of a deficient 2026 monsoon. It cites an India Meteorological Department forecast indicating a 60% probability of below-normal rainfall across the Monsoon Core Zone, which covers much of India’s rainfed agricultural land.
The report also raises concerns over falling international funding for food security. Spending has declined to levels last seen in 2016–2017, forcing aid agencies to reduce assistance and cut emergency food rations. Lower funding has also weakened hunger monitoring, increasing the risk that worsening crises will go undetected when data on undernourishment and child mortality are no longer collected.
Despite the global challenges, 31 countries have reduced their GHI scores by at least 10% since 2018. Uganda and Togo have registered significant improvements in Africa, while Nepal has recorded the greatest progress in South Asia since 2000.
For India, however, the combination of persistent undernutrition, high child wasting and the threat of below-normal monsoon rainfall underscores the continuing challenge of ensuring adequate and nutritious food for its population.
India scored 24.1 on the index, remaining in the “serious” category, where it has been placed since 2012. The GHI is jointly published by German aid agency Welthungerhilfe (WHH) and Irish organisation Concern Worldwide, in collaboration with the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV) and Swiss organisation Helvetas. The index is released once every six years.
The report estimates that 9.8% of India’s population is undernourished, while 29.3% of children under five are stunted, a rate classified as very high for the first time. Child wasting, which reflects acute undernutrition, has climbed to 19%, the highest level in South Asia, compared with 16.9% in the previous reference period.
The pace of India’s improvement has also slowed considerably. Its GHI score fell by just 1.7 points between 2018 and 2026, from 25.8, compared with an 8.2-point improvement between 2006 and 2012.
South Asia recorded a GHI score of 23.5, placing the region in the serious category. Its child wasting rate stood at 15.8%, the highest among all regions.
“The situation in South Asia also remains serious (GHI 23.5). In many countries, progress has stagnated in recent years. In two countries, and Pakistan, the situation has deteriorated compared to 2018. Remarkable progress has been made in Nepal, while the situation in Bangladesh and India is also improving,” the report notes.
The GHI measures hunger at global, regional and national levels using four indicators: the proportion of the population with insufficient calorie intake, the prevalence of stunting among children under five, child wasting and mortality among children before their fifth birthday. Together, these indicators capture different dimensions of undernutrition, including its long-term effects and the risks posed by inadequate diets and unhealthy living conditions.
Beyond country-level hunger figures, the report identifies armed conflict as a major driver of food insecurity, noting that state-based conflicts have reached their highest level since World War II. Wars and geopolitical tensions have disrupted international trade and contributed to rising food prices, including the effects of Russia’s war against Ukraine and the war against Iran. As food becomes more expensive, vulnerable households may resort to cheaper, less nutritious meals or skip meals altogether, increasing the risk of malnutrition.
Climate change is adding to these pressures through extreme weather events and crop failures, while overlapping crises are undermining the resilience of food systems. For South Asia, the report warns of an intensifying El Niño and the possibility of a deficient 2026 monsoon. It cites an India Meteorological Department forecast indicating a 60% probability of below-normal rainfall across the Monsoon Core Zone, which covers much of India’s rainfed agricultural land.
The report also raises concerns over falling international funding for food security. Spending has declined to levels last seen in 2016–2017, forcing aid agencies to reduce assistance and cut emergency food rations. Lower funding has also weakened hunger monitoring, increasing the risk that worsening crises will go undetected when data on undernourishment and child mortality are no longer collected.
Despite the global challenges, 31 countries have reduced their GHI scores by at least 10% since 2018. Uganda and Togo have registered significant improvements in Africa, while Nepal has recorded the greatest progress in South Asia since 2000.
For India, however, the combination of persistent undernutrition, high child wasting and the threat of below-normal monsoon rainfall underscores the continuing challenge of ensuring adequate and nutritious food for its population.
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