Did India ever qualify for the FIFA World Cup?

India has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup. The Indian national football team has participated in the qualifying rounds for several tournaments but has not secured a spot in the final competition.

The closest India came to qualifying was in the 1950 World Cup, when they withdrew before the tournament. The team had qualified automatically due to the withdrawal of other Asian teams, but they did not participate due to financial reasons and a lack of preparation.

Since then, India has consistently attempted to qualify through the Asian Football Confederation's qualifying process but has not succeeded. The team has faced challenges including limited infrastructure, funding, and competition from stronger Asian football nations.

Despite the lack of World Cup qualification, India has achieved success in other tournaments, such as winning the Asian Cup in 1964 and the South Asian Football Federation Cup multiple times. The national team continues to develop with growing interest in football across the country.