India has emerged as the epicentre of global air pollution deaths, accounting for nearly 70% of pollution-related fatalities worldwide, according to the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change 2025 Global Report.
The study estimates that over 1.7 million Indians die every year due to prolonged exposure to toxic air — marking a 38% rise since 2010. The report, prepared by University College London (UCL) in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), highlights that globally, 2.5 million people die annually from air pollution, underscoring India’s severe burden.
A major culprit behind this grim statistic is fossil fuel use, which accounts for 44% (around 752,000 deaths). Coal combustion alone claims about 394,000 lives, with power plant emissions responsible for 298,000 of these. Additionally, vehicle exhaust and petrol-related pollution cause another 269,000 deaths each year.
Adding to the crisis, wildfire-related pollution killed an estimated 10,200 people annually between 2020 and 2024, with wildfire smoke exposure rising by 28% from 2003 to 2012.
The report also draws attention to indoor air pollution, largely from cooking fuels used in rural households, causing 113 deaths per 100,000 people on average.
Beyond the human toll, the economic impact is staggering — in 2022, premature deaths from outdoor air pollution cost India $339.4 billion, equivalent to 9.5% of the nation’s GDP.
Experts warn that unless urgent measures are taken to curb fossil fuel dependency and strengthen clean air initiatives, India’s pollution crisis could deepen into a full-scale public health emergency.
