India has ceen April 2025 to March 2026, 5,022 children were adopted across the country, the highest annual figure reported in more than a decade. The latest CARA-linked adoption data: 03 domestic adoptions and 419 inter-country adoptions. comes only a year after India posted 4,515 adoptions in FY2024-25. That puts the annual rise at about 11%. Yet the wider picture is still difficult. Nearly 26,000 prospective adoptive parents remain in the queue, while children aged 0-2, the group most applicants prefer, remain limited. ’s Adoption Numbers Have Risen Again
The latest 5,022 figure builds on FY2024-25. According to the Press Information Bureau’s official adoption update, 5,022 children were adopted that year, including 4,155 domestic adoptions. The government called it the highest figure in 12 years at the time. The new numbers have now pushed that record further. Highlights from the latest data include:
- 5,022 children were adopted between April 2025 and March 2026.
- 4,603 adoptions took place within India, while 419 were inter-country adoptions.
- The annual total rose roughly 11% from 4,515 in FY2024-25.
- 392 children with special needs were adopted, around 25% more than a year earlier.
- Nearly 26,000 prospective adoptive parents are still waiting.
The rise in special-needs adoptions is especially notable. Such children often face longer waits because many applicants prefer younger children without identified medical or developmental needs. Drove India’s Decade-High Adoption Increase?
The higher tally reflects changes made over several years. One major factor is the effort to identify more children who can legally enter the adoption system.
In FY2024-25, CARA’s Identification Cell helped bring 8,598 newly identified children into the adoption pool. The government also said 245 new adoption agencies were established with state governments. More agencies can improve screening, documentation and follow-up outside the biggest cities. Processing has also become more central. India uses CARINGS, the online system through which prospective parents register, submit documents, receive referrals and track parts of the process. A December 2025 government adoption backgrounder-study reports are expected within 60 days, and referred families receive fixed response windows. The statutory adoption authority is under the Ministry of Women and Child Development. It regulates in-country and inter-country adoptions of orphaned, abandoned and surrendered children. The system operates under the Juvenile Justice Act and Adoption Regulations, 2022, while inter-country cases also follow India’s Hague Convention obligations. Social drives have added to the push. CARA has been running training and sensitisation programmes for agencies, officials and families. That may be helping more applicants use the formal legal route instead of informal arrangements that can create problems later.
Why Are Thousands Of Parents Still Waiting?
A record year has not erased the waiting list. The gap between prospective parents and children legally available for adoption remains wide.
A large part of the mismatch comes from preference. Many applicants seek a healthy child below two years of age. The number of children fitting that profile is far smaller. Older children, sibling groups and children with special needs may therefore wait longer even while thousands of families remain registered. also a legal process before an orphaned, abandoned or surrendered child can be placed for adoption. Authorities must complete tracing, documentation and child-welfare procedures before declaring the child legally free for adoption. Delays at any stage can keep a child outside the referral pool longer.
Inter-Country Adoption Is Also Back In The Headlines
In July 2026, the Delhi High Court directed CARA to issue an NOC involving an OCI couple living in Australia. Recent court cases have repeatedly examined paperwork and delays in overseas adoptions, keeping inter-country procedures under scrutiny. Comes Next For India’s Adoption System?
The 5,022-adoption milestone suggests that more child identification, additional agencies, digital tracking and wider outreach are helping legal adoptions move faster.
The next challenge is reducing waiting periods without weakening child-protection checks. India also has to keep finding suitable families for older children, siblings and children with special needs, not only infants.
CARA’s March 2026 directions to state adoption agencies include rules around adoption records and protection of children’s identities. That puts the next phase in clear terms: faster processing is useful, but every placement still needs proper documentation and safeguards for the child.
FAQS
How many children were adopted in India in FY2025-26?
India recorded 5,022 child adoptions between April 2025 and March 2026, its decade-high annual total.
How many domestic adoptions took place in FY2025-26?
Around 4,603 children were adopted by families within India during the 2025-26 financial year overall.
Why have child adoption numbers increased in India?
Identified children, additional agencies, digital processing, and awareness campaigns helped lift completed adoptions across India.
How many special-needs children were adopted last year?
A total of 392 special-needs children were adopted, marking about a 25% annual increase nationwide.
Why do prospective parents still face long adoption waits?
Demand stays highest for young healthy children, while available children matching those preferences remain relatively limited.
