India reduced Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), or the number of deaths per 1,000 live babies born, from 30 in 2019 to 24 in 2024, an annual average decline of about one point. Chhattisgarh had the highest IMR of 36 followed by both UP and MP with 35. Kerala had the lowest IMR of 8 , followed by Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Delhi, all recording 11. Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR): Stands at 18 per 1,000 live births, accounting for roughly 73% of all infant deaths. Overall, rural IMR has fallen more than urban with Assam showing the highest difference in IMR between rural (31) and urban areas (14). Many states also showed significant difference in the IMR between male and female infants. Among the bigger states, Bihar showed the highest gender gap in IMR. In Bihar, the IMR was 21 for males and 25 for females. In contrast, in J&K, IMR was higher for males (16) than for female infants (12).