In the 2026 Global Hunger Index report released by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe, India ranked 102nd out of 122 countries with a score of 24.1, placing it in the 'Serious' hunger category.
WHAT HAPPENED
In mid-October 2026 humanitarian organisations Concern Worldwide (Ireland) and Welthungerhilfe (Germany) jointly released the 2026 Global Hunger Index (GHI) report. India ranked 102nd out of 122 evaluated countries with sufficient data, recording an overall score of 24.1, which categorises its hunger level as "Serious".
HOW GHI IS CALCULATED
The GHI score is calculated on a 100-point scale (0 = no hunger, 100 = worst hunger) combining four equally weighted indicators:
- Undernourishment: the share of the population that is undernourished (caloric deficiency). Data source: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
- Child Stunting: the share of children under the age of five with low height for their age (chronic undernutrition). Data source: WHO, UNICEF, World Bank.
- Child Wasting: the share of children under the age of five with low weight for their height (acute undernutrition).
- Child Mortality: the mortality rate of children under age five. Data source: UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME).
INDIA'S CONTEXT AND GOVERNMENT POSITION
India's score shows gradual progress in under-five mortality and stunting, but child wasting remains high. As in previous cycles, the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development notes methodological limitations in GHI, observing that three of the four indicators measure child health rather than general undernourishment. National mitigation interventions include Poshan 2.0, Mission Saksham Anganwadi, and the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), which provides free food grains to over 80 crore beneficiaries.
EXAM ANGLE
- Published annually every October jointly by Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide.
- Severity scale: Low (<=9.9), Moderate (10.0-19.9), Serious (20.0-34.9), Alarming (35.0-49.9), Extremely Alarming (>=50.0). India's 24.1 falls in the "Serious" bracket.
- The 4 component indicators and their institutional data sources are among the most frequently asked questions in UPSC, SSC, and State PCS general studies.
Published on 13 Oct 2026. Source: Global Hunger Index 2026 Report (globalhungerindex.org).