Manya Rathore
Research expert covering India
Air pollution in India - statistics & facts
India has long suffered from poor air quality and is consistently ranked among the world’s most polluted countries. Air pollution, which causes significant economic damage and threatens public health, is now the leading risk factor for death in India, cutting some two million lives short every year. To address this pressing issue, the Indian government launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in 2019 in a bid to improve air quality, protect the public’s health, and ensure the well-being of future generations. But can the South Asian country win its war against this invisible enemy?
Still, many cities across India continue to suffer from highly toxic air quality. In 2024, more than half of the 25 most polluted cities in the world were located in India. The most polluted was Byrnihat, which observed alarming PM2.5 levels of 128 µg/m³. New Delhi also ranked among these smog-filled cities and earned the unwanted title of the world’s second most polluted capital city that year. Some of the biggest contributors to air pollution in India include fossil fuel combustion for residential, industrial, transportation, and energy purposes, as well as agricultural activities and waste incineration.
India has made progress in improving air quality in recent years, but most cities across the country are still heavily polluted. If the country is to achieve real reductions in harmful air pollution, focus will need to be diverted to key contributors like the industry sector, waste burning, and transportation. If not, India will likely continue to face a severe air pollution health crisis.
PM2.5 levels fall across India
India’s average annual PM2.5 concentration fell seven percent year-on-year in 2024, to 50.6 micrograms per cubic meter of air (µg/m³). This represented an overall reduction of 13 percent when compared to 2019 levels. Nevertheless, average annual PM2.5 levels in India remain more than 10 times above the World Health Organization's annual recommended limit of five µg/m³. Several of India’s most populated cities have recorded significant reductions in PM2.5 air pollution since the launch of the NCAP. Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai, for example, have all seen PM2.5 levels fall by roughly 25 percent since 2019, while levels in the northern city of Lucknow have declined by almost 40 percent.Still, many cities across India continue to suffer from highly toxic air quality. In 2024, more than half of the 25 most polluted cities in the world were located in India. The most polluted was Byrnihat, which observed alarming PM2.5 levels of 128 µg/m³. New Delhi also ranked among these smog-filled cities and earned the unwanted title of the world’s second most polluted capital city that year. Some of the biggest contributors to air pollution in India include fossil fuel combustion for residential, industrial, transportation, and energy purposes, as well as agricultural activities and waste incineration.
The human toll of air pollution in India
Exposure to high concentrations of air pollution is linked to a range of adverse health effects including strokes, heart disease, cancer, and premature death. With almost the entire population of India exposed to hazardous air quality, the health of millions of people is at risk. On average, around seven percent of daily deaths in India are attributable to PM2.5 levels above WHO guidelines, with this figure rising to more than 10 percent in cities such as Varanasi and Delhi. The leading sources of PM2.5 linked deaths in India are residential combustion, industrial activities, and power generation. Despite this, around 70 percent of funding for controlling air pollution since the launch of the NCAP has been allocated to road dust management.India has made progress in improving air quality in recent years, but most cities across the country are still heavily polluted. If the country is to achieve real reductions in harmful air pollution, focus will need to be diverted to key contributors like the industry sector, waste burning, and transportation. If not, India will likely continue to face a severe air pollution health crisis.
