Saving Young Lives

The steady decline in India's infant mortality rate shouldn't lead to complacency

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ATEST FINDINGS FROM the Sample Registration System show that, for the first time, India's birth and death rates have fallen to nearly half their levels from 50 years ago. This is a positive reflection of the foundations for healthcare, family planning, and social welfare laid in the decades since Independence. Most encouragingly, the infant mortality rate (IMR) has continued its steady decline, falling from 40 in 2013 to 25 in 2023—a reduction of 37.5%. IMR, defined as the number of infants dying before their first birthday per 1,000 live births, is one of the most critical measures of health standards.

Between 2013 and 2023, the rural IMR fell from 44 to 28, while the urban IMR dropped from 27 to 18. Yet disparities persist: states such as Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh reported the highest IMR at 37, while Manipur was at the other end of the spectrum with just 3. While the findings bode well, they also show that the country still lags several of its neighbours, with China leading the region at 4.5.