The Public Distribution System in India plays a crucial role in addressing food security and promoting social equity by ensuring the availability, accessibility, and affordability of essential food grains to millions of vulnerable citizens. This article provides a comprehensive examination of the PDS, starting with a global and national overview of food security concerns and the introduction of the PDS as a key tool in India’s food security framework. Moreover, it traces the historical evolution of the PDS, from its origins to the introduction of the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), highlighting key milestones in its development. The role of central and state governments in managing procurement, storage, and distribution, along with the key commodities. The PDS’s impact on reducing hunger and malnutrition, particularly among marginalized communities, along with its role in promoting social equity and challenges facing the system, such as leakage, inefficiencies in targeting, and ongoing reforms and innovations like digitisation, Aadhaar linkage, and the introduction of the One Nation, One Ration Card (ONORC) scheme are explored as steps toward enhancing transparency and inclusivity. A few suggestions to make PDS more robust, and sustainable, reaffirming its potential to contribute to a more equitable and food-secure India are also made.