India child adoption data reveals regional trends in 2024-26

Data from the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) reveals significant adoption statistics across India for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 financial years. Nationally, 5,022 children were adopted, comprising 4,603 domestic adoptions and 419 inter-country adoptions.

Odisha emerged as a leading state, recording 308 adoptions, which accounts for over 6% of the national total. Notably, Odisha's 45 inter-country adoptions represent approximately 10.7% of all inter-country adoptions in India. Within Odisha, more girls were adopted (170) than boys (138), and children with special needs made up roughly 9.4% of the state's total adoptions, a figure that rose to nearly 58% in its inter-country cases.

In Jammu and Kashmir, 81 children were adopted through CARA over the two-year period, with 39 in 2024-25 and 42 in 2025-26. No adoptions were recorded in the Union Territory of Ladakh. To improve transparency and efficiency, the government has digitized the process via the Mission Vatsalya portal and continues to implement the Mission Vatsalya scheme to provide care for children in difficult circumstances.