The global celebration of milk’s importance as a universal food was originally established in 2001 by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, which designated June 1 as World Milk Day. For international market analysts, the date serves to underscore India’s unparalleled scale in the global marketplace. The country has firmly held the position of the world’s number one milk producer since 1998, a dominant market share that has continued to expand alongside rising domestic and international demand.

The historical foundation of this modern dairy powerhouse traces back to 1965 with the creation of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), led by Dr. Verghese Kurien, recognized globally as the Father of the White Revolution. This institutional setup paved the way for Operation Flood between 1970 and 1996, which became one of the world’s largest rural development initiatives. The program successfully established over 73,000 dairy cooperatives across the country, fundamentally altering the logistics and commercialization of smallholder milk production.

Data journalism metrics reveal the staggering growth trajectory of the Indian dairy sector over the last decade. Between the 2014-15 and 2023-24 financial cycles, national milk production skyrocketed by 63.56%, surging from 146.3 million tonnes to an unprecedented 239.2 million tonnes. This massive volume means that India alone is now responsible for generating a remarkable 25% of the entire world’s milk supply, positioning the subcontinent as the central anchor of global dairy volume.