In 2023, the infant mortality rate in India was at about 24.5 deaths per 1,000 live births, a significant decrease from previous years. Infant mortality as an indicatorThe infant mortality rate is the number of deaths of children under one year of age per 1,000 live births. This rate is an important key indicator for a country’s health and standard of living; a low infant mortality rate indicates a high standard of healthcare. Causes of infant mortality include premature birth, sepsis or meningitis, sudden infant death syndrome, and pneumonia. Globally, the infant mortality rate has shrunk from 63 infant deaths per 1,000 live births to 27 since 1990 and is forecast to drop to 8 infant deaths per 1,000 live births by the year 2100. India’s rural problemWith 32 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, India is neither among the countries with the highest nor among those with the lowest infant mortality rate. Its decrease indicates an increase in medical care and hygiene, as well as a decrease in female infanticide. Increasing life expectancy at birth is another indicator that shows that the living conditions of the Indian population are improving. Still, India’s inhabitants predominantly live in rural areas, where standards of living as well as access to medical care and hygiene are traditionally lower and more complicated than in cities. Public health programs are thus put in place by the government to ensure further improvement.

This comprehensive dataset provides a deep dive into the infant mortality rates (IMR) in India, tracing its trajectory through various decades. It offers valuable insights into health indicators, socio-economic factors, and policy initiatives, showcasing how India has evolved in its approach to child health and safety. Researchers, policymakers, and enthusiasts can tap into this rich resource to gain a better understanding of the challenges and progress made in the realm of infant health in India.

It's worth noting that while the dataset is expansive, there are multiple null values for data points prior to the 1990s. This underscores the limitations in the available data from that period, and users are advised to exercise caution when making historical comparisons or drawing conclusions from these early years. Regardless, this dataset stands as a testament to the strides India has made and the distances yet to be covered in ensuring the well-being of its youngest citizens.

Source

UNICEF's country profile for India, including under-five mortality rates, child health, education and sanitation data.

The infant mortality rate in India, for children under the age of one year old, was over 204 deaths per thousand births in 1915. This means that for all babies born in 1915,more than one fifth did not survive past their first birthday. This rate fluctuated over the next four decades, but since the mid-1900s, India's infant mortality rate has fallen from 181 to 32 deaths per thousand births in 2020, meaning that over three percent of all babies born today do not make it to their first birthday.

In 2020, the state of Madhya Pradesh, with 47 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, recorded the highest rural infant mortality rate in India. Other regions with high mortality rates included Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh. On the contrary, Delhi recorded the lowest figures for the category during the same period.

Historical dataset showing India infant mortality rate by year from 1950 to 2025.

Yearly (annual) dataset of the India Infant Mortality Rate, including historical data, latest releases, and long-term trends from 1960-12-31 to 2023-12-31. Available for free download in CSV format.

In 2020, the infant mortality rate in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India was ** deaths per 1,000 live births. Infant mortality is measured by the number of deaths of children under one year of age per 1,000 live births.

Forecast: Total Infant Mortality Rates in India 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

Vital Statistics: Infant Mortality Rate: per 1000 Live Births: Gujarat data was reported at 23.000 NA in 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 25.000 NA for 2019. Vital Statistics: Infant Mortality Rate: per 1000 Live Births: Gujarat data is updated yearly, averaging 48.000 NA from Dec 1997 (Median) to 2020, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 64.000 NA in 1998 and a record low of 23.000 NA in 2020. Vital Statistics: Infant Mortality Rate: per 1000 Live Births: Gujarat data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAH005: Vital Statistics: Infant Mortality Rate: by States.

Forecast: Infant Mortality Rate in India 2022 - 2026 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

Vital Statistics: Infant Mortality Rate: per 1000 Live Births: West Bengal data was reported at 19.000 NA in 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 20.000 NA for 2019. Vital Statistics: Infant Mortality Rate: per 1000 Live Births: West Bengal data is updated yearly, averaging 33.000 NA from Dec 1997 (Median) to 2020, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 53.000 NA in 1998 and a record low of 19.000 NA in 2020. Vital Statistics: Infant Mortality Rate: per 1000 Live Births: West Bengal data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAH005: Vital Statistics: Infant Mortality Rate: by States.

India Vital Statistics: Infant Mortality Rate: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 28.000 NA in 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 30.000 NA for 2019. India Vital Statistics: Infant Mortality Rate: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 73.000 NA from Dec 1971 (Median) to 2020, with 50 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 140.000 NA in 1975 and a record low of 28.000 NA in 2020. India Vital Statistics: Infant Mortality Rate: per 1000 Live Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under Global Database’s India – Table IN.GAH001: Vital Statistics.

In 2020, the infant mortality rate in the state of Madhya Pradesh in India was about ** deaths per 1,000 live births. Infant mortality is measured by the number of deaths of children under one year of age per 1,000 live births.

Forecast: Female Infant Mortality Rate in India 2022 - 2026 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

Infant mortality rate of India fell by 4.30% from 25.6 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022 to 24.5 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023. Since the 4.71% decline in 2013, infant mortality rate plummeted by 39.51% in 2023. Infant mortality rate is the number of infants dying before reaching one year of age, per 1,000 live births in a given year.

Vital Statistics: Infant Mortality Rate: per 1000 Live Births: Uttar Pradesh data was reported at 38.000 NA in 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 41.000 NA for 2019. Vital Statistics: Infant Mortality Rate: per 1000 Live Births: Uttar Pradesh data is updated yearly, averaging 63.000 NA from Dec 1997 (Median) to 2020, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 85.000 NA in 1998 and a record low of 38.000 NA in 2020. Vital Statistics: Infant Mortality Rate: per 1000 Live Births: Uttar Pradesh data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAH005: Vital Statistics: Infant Mortality Rate: by States.

Actual value and historical data chart for India Mortality Rate Infant Female Per 1000 Live Births

ObjectivesUnder the prevailing conditions of imbalanced life table and historic gender discrimination in India, our study examines crossover between life expectancies at ages zero, one and five years for India and quantifies the relative share of infant and under-five mortality towards this crossover.MethodsWe estimate threshold levels of infant and under-five mortality required for crossover using age specific death rates during 1981–2009 for 16 Indian states by sex (comprising of India’s 90% population in 2011). Kitagawa decomposition equations were used to analyse relative share of infant and under-five mortality towards crossover.FindingsIndia experienced crossover between life expectancies at ages zero and five in 2004 for menand in 2009 for women; eleven and nine Indian states have experienced this crossover for men and women, respectively. Men usually experienced crossover four years earlier than the women. Improvements in mortality below ages five have mostly contributed towards this crossover. Life expectancy at age one exceeds that at age zero for both men and women in India except for Kerala (the only state to experience this crossover in 2000 for men and 1999 for women).ConclusionsFor India, using life expectancy at age zero and under-five mortality rate together may be more meaningful to measure overall health of its people until the crossover. Delayed crossover for women, despite higher life expectancy at birth than for men reiterates that Indian women are still disadvantaged and hence use of life expectancies at ages zero, one and five become important for India. Greater programmatic efforts to control leading causes of death during the first month and 1–59 months in high child mortality areas can help India to attain this crossover early.

Forecast: Infant Mortality in India 2023 - 2027 Discover more data with ReportLinker!