India is making remarkable strides towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2030, with a consistent and accelerated decline in maternal and child mortality rates, far surpassing global averages.
As per the Sample Registration System (SRS) 2021 report, released by the Registrar General of India on 7th May 2025, the country has demonstrated significant progress in key maternal and child health indicators:
- Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) declined from 130 per lakh live births in 2014–16 to 93 in 2019–21.
- Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) dropped from 39 per 1000 live births in 2014 to 27 in 2021.
- Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR) decreased from 26 per 1000 live births in 2014 to 19 in 2021.
- Under-Five Mortality Rate (U5MR) fell from 45 to 31 per 1000 live births between 2014 and 2021.
- Sex Ratio at Birth improved from 899 to 913.
- Total Fertility Rate remained stable at 2.0 in 2021, down from 2.3 in 2014.
States Leading the SDG Race
India’s regional performance has also been stellar:
- MMR SDG Target (≤70 by 2030) already met by 8 states: Kerala (20), Maharashtra (38), Telangana (45), Andhra Pradesh (46), Tamil Nadu (49), Jharkhand (51), Gujarat (53), Karnataka (63).
- U5MR SDG Target (≤25 by 2030) achieved by 12 states/UTs, including Kerala (8), Delhi (14), Tamil Nadu (14), and others.
- NMR SDG Target (≤12 by 2030) met by 6 states/UTs, including Kerala (4), Delhi (8), Tamil Nadu (9), and Maharashtra (11).
India’s Progress vs the World
According to the UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-agency Group (UN-MMEIG) Report (2000–2023), India’s MMR dropped by 23 points from 2020 to 2023, marking an 86% reduction since 1990, far exceeding the global reduction of 48%.
The United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME) Report (2024) highlighted India as one of the top performers globally:
- U5MR fell by 78%, compared to 61% globally.
- NMR dropped by 70%, versus 54% globally.
- IMR declined by 71%, compared to 58% globally.
What’s Driving the Change?
These achievements stem from robust policy interventions, integration of national flagship schemes, and a commitment to quality, dignity, and inclusivity in healthcare:
- Ayushman Bharat, the world’s largest health assurance scheme, offers ₹5 lakh coverage per family annually.
- Free institutional deliveries (including caesareans), transport, medicines, diagnostics, and nutrition support under government schemes.
- Upgraded infrastructure including Maternity Waiting Homes, MCH Wings, HDUs/ICUs, NBSUs, SNCUs, and Mother-Newborn Care Units.
- Training in life-saving clinical practices like antenatal corticosteroids, CPAP usage, and structured neonatal screening.
- Enhanced digital surveillance systems ensure real-time data monitoring and evidence-based policy-making.
With over 300 lakh safe pregnancies and 260 lakh live births annually, India’s health ecosystem is geared to not only meet but exceed the SDG 2030 maternal and child health goals.
