Why in news?

• India has recently moved up to the 9th position globally in terms of total forest area, as per the Global Forest Resources Assessment (GFRA) 2025 released by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Key Forest Cover Statistics (2025)

• India’s current forest area stands at approximately 72.74 million hectares, which constitutes about 2% of the world's forests.​
• India maintained its third position globally for net annual forest gain, adding nearly 191,000 hectares per year between 2015 and 2025.​
• India is now the fifth largest carbon sink in the world, with its forests removing 150 million tonnes of CO₂ annually (2021–2025).​

Policy and Initiatives

• Significant achievements are attributed to Central and State government policies, including large-scale afforestation drives and participation incentives for citizens (such as the 'Ek Ped Ma Ke Naam' initiative).​
• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change increased its budget allocation by 9% for 2025-26 to further enhance forest cover.​
• Prominent schemes include: the National Mission for a Green India (GIM), the National Afforestation Programme, the Forest (Conservation) Act, the Wildlife (Protection) Act, and the Forest Rights Act.​

International Context

• Globally, forests cover about 4.14 billion hectares (32% of land area), with Russia, Brazil, Canada, and the US holding the largest shares.​
• Despite global net forest loss (about 4.12 million hectares per year from 2015-2025), India has shown a consistent positive trend in increasing its forest resources.​

Challenges

• Forest ecosystems worldwide face persistent challenges, with threats from fires, pests, diseases, and extreme weather.​
• India is promoting sustainable forestry practices to balance conservation with necessary development.​

India's recent progress signifies a strong national commitment to expanding forest cover, climate action, and biodiversity conservation.

Download Pdf