Maarg Manthan · Topic 18.13

Global Hunger Index (India Rank and Methodology)

Current Affairs & Government Schemes › Important Reports, Indices and Surveys · Topic 18.13

The Global Hunger Index (GHI) is an annual peer-reviewed report that measures and tracks hunger at global, regional and national levels, published each October by Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide. It scores countries from 0 to 100 on four indicators, undernourishment, child stunting, child wasting and child mortality, and classes hunger as low, moderate, serious, alarming or extremely alarming. In the Global Hunger Index 2026, India ranked 100th among 122 countries with a score of 24.1, in the serious category, as reported. In 2025 India ranked 102nd of 123 countries with a score of 25.8. The Government of India rejects the index as flawed.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Current Affairs & Government Schemes · Important Reports, Indices and Surveys

At a Glance

Publishers Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide
Indicators Four: undernourishment, stunting, wasting, mortality
Scale 0 to 100, lower is better
India 2026 100th of 122, score 24.1
India 2025 102nd of 123, score 25.8
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Current Affairs and Government Schemes: Important Reports, Indices and Surveys

Where Does It Fit?

This topic ties the survey data on child nutrition to a global ranking. The stunting and wasting inputs come from surveys such as the National Family Health Survey, and the government response draws on its own data. Previous topic: Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) Framework (SEBI). Next topic: World Press Freedom Index (India Rank and Methodology).

How Is the Global Hunger Index Calculated?

Indicator	Weight and meaning
Undernourishment	One third of the score. The share of the population with insufficient calorie intake, estimated by the Food and Agriculture Organization
Child stunting	One sixth. Share of children under five with low height for their age
Child wasting	One sixth. Share of children under five with low weight for their height
Child mortality	One sixth. Share of children who die before the age of five
Score bands	Up to 9.9 is low, 10 to 19.9 moderate, 20 to 34.9 serious, 35 to 49.9 alarming and 50 or more extremely alarming
Coverage	Only countries with enough data are ranked. Some high-income countries with very low scores are not given ranks

What Is India’s Position?

2026: India ranked 100th of 122 countries with a score of 24.1 in the serious category, as reported. It shares the rank with Ethiopia, and Pakistan was reported at 106th
2025: India ranked 102nd of 123 countries with a score of 25.8, an improvement from 105th and 27.3 in 2024
2024: 105th of 127 countries with a score of 27.3
2023: 111th of 125 countries with a score of 28.7
Long-run trend: India’s score was 38.1 in 2000, which was classed as alarming, and fell to the serious range by 2025
Meaning of serious hunger: A score of 20 to 34.9 marks serious hunger, and India sits in this band in recent editions, after alarming scores in the early 2000s
Child wasting: Wasting, at about 19 per cent, was reported as the highest in South Asia, as reported
Stunting: Stunting fell from 50 per cent in 2000 to about 29.3 per cent in the 2026 index, as reported
Verification: Rank positions change as the list of countries changes each year, so only scores are strictly comparable, and the official report should be checked

What Else Should You Remember?

Government stand: The Government of India has called the index a flawed measure, arguing that three of the four indicators are child-based and that the opinion poll-based undernourishment estimate has a small sample
Official data: The Ministry of Women and Child Development cites the Poshan Tracker, a monthly data system that reports child stunting and wasting from anganwadis
Source of child data: Stunting and wasting come from surveys such as the National Family Health Survey, as in National Family Health Survey (NFHS)
Food policy: The National Food Security Act, 2013 provides subsidised grain to nearly 81 crore people, and the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana gives free grain, as reported
Nutrition schemes: Poshan Abhiyaan, PM POSHAN midday meals and the Integrated Child Development Services address child nutrition
Other global indices: The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report from FAO and partners estimates undernourishment
Link to the poverty index: Child nutrition is a key health indicator in the poverty measure, as in NITI Aayog Method Alkire-Foster, with UNDP and OPHI Indicators 12 across 3 dimensions Baseline (NFHS-4) 25.01 per cent…">Multidimensional Poverty Index (India-Specific, NITI Aayog)
Link to SDG 2: Goal 2 aims for zero hunger by 2030, as in Sustainable Development Goals India Index
Comparison with neighbours: As reported, India ranked ahead of Pakistan in 2026 but behind countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka
Common mistakes: Giving the Ministry or the UN as the publisher, or treating the rank as comparable across years without noting the country count

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Publishers: Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide
Indicators: Undernourishment, stunting, wasting, child mortality
Rank: 100th of 122 in 2026 and 102nd of 123 in 2025
Bands: 20 to 34.9 is serious
Common errors: Saying UNDP or FAO publishes it or that adult nutrition is included

As an analytical point, the debate about the index methods should not hide the fact that child wasting remains stubbornly high. Better nutrition needs action on diets, women health, sanitation and timely public data.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Indicators Weights and bands
Rank Latest numbers
Policy Food security

What Came Next?

The next topic covers the World Press Freedom Index. Next topic: World Press Freedom Index (India Rank and Methodology).

Key People and Terms

Stunting Low height for age
Wasting Low weight for height
Undernourishment Insufficient calorie intake
Child mortality Death before age five
GHI score 0 best to 100 worst
Poshan Tracker Government nutrition data system

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

Publishers: Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide.
Four indicators; undernourishment one third.
India 2026: 100th of 122, score 24.1.
India 2025: 102nd of 123, score 25.8.
Serious band: 20 to 34.9.

Do Not Confuse With

GHI and State of Food Security report Hunger index versus FAO undernourishment report
Stunting and wasting Chronic versus acute
Rank and score Rank depends on country count

Memory Hook

One-third calories, three-sixths children: GHI counts four and India is serious.

Mains Angle

Mains questions ask about hunger and the response to indices. These points give a balanced frame.

Data Wasting high
Debate Method versus reality
Way Nutrition and data

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Examine the criticisms of the Global Hunger Index by the Government of India and discuss steps to reduce child malnutrition.”

How to Answer

Index Four indicators.
Position India serious.
Debate Method flaws claimed.
Way Poshan and diets.

GS Relevance

Prelims: publishers, four indicators, categories, India rank. GS Paper 2: hunger and poverty, welfare, international indices. GS Paper 3: food security and nutrition.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Global Hunger Index?

The Global Hunger Index is an annual report that measures hunger worldwide using four indicators: undernourishment, child stunting, child wasting and child mortality. It is published by Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide and scores countries from 0 to 100, with lower scores showing less hunger.

Who publishes the Global Hunger Index?

Welthungerhilfe of Germany and Concern Worldwide of Ireland publish the Global Hunger Index each year, usually in October. It is not published by the United Nations or the Food and Agriculture Organization, though it uses FAO data on undernourishment among its sources.

What is India's rank in the Global Hunger Index 2026?

India ranked 100th among 122 countries in the Global Hunger Index 2026, with a score of 24.1 in the serious category, as reported. In 2025 India ranked 102nd of 123 with 25.8, and in 2024 it ranked 105th with 27.3.

What are the indicators and weights of the GHI?

Undernourishment carries one third of the score, and child stunting, child wasting and child mortality carry one sixth each. The score is then placed in bands: low, moderate, serious, alarming and extremely alarming, with serious meaning a score of 20 to 34.9.

Why does the Government of India reject the Global Hunger Index?

The Government says the index is flawed because three of its four indicators relate to children and cannot show hunger of the whole population, and because the undernourishment estimate is based on a small opinion poll. It points to its own data, such as the Poshan Tracker, instead.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 The Global Hunger Index is published by UNDP.

False

It is published by Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide.

2 India's GHI 2026 score places it in the serious category.

True

Rank 100th of 122, as reported.

3 Child wasting is one of the four indicators of the GHI.