As per the Sample Registration System (SRS) Report 2021 released by the Registrar General of India (RGI), on 07th May, 2025, India is witnessing a significant and steady decline in maternal and child mortality rates, putting the nation on a strong path towards achieving its 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) specifically, Goal 3 (SDG 3): Good Health and Well-being.

Key Outcome Indicators

• The maternal mortality ratio (MMR) (per lakh live births) fell significantly, from 130 between 2014 and 2016, to 93 between 2019 and 2021.

• The infant mortality rate (IMR) per 1,000 live births decreased from 39 in 2014 to 27 in 2021.

• From 2014 to 2021, the neonatal mortality rate (NMR) per 1,000 live births decreased from 26 to 19.

• The Under-Five Mortality Rate (U5MR) per 1,000 live births dropped from 45 in 2014 to 31 in 2021.

• The sex ratio at birth improved from 899 in 2014 to 913 in 2021.

These sustained improvements, driven by focused interventions, directly contribute to SDG target 3.1 (reducing MMR to less than 70), and SDG target 3.2 (ending preventable child deaths: To reduce NMR to <=12 and U5MR to at least as low as 25 ).

These health indicators reveal India is progressing at a rate greater than the worldwide average.