Air is the new nemesis for India!
With a new global report highlighting the severe impact of air pollution in India, the severe impact of the same on health and economy is a force to be reckoned with.
Fossil Fuels Push India into a Climate and Health Crisis
As per the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change report of October 29, 2025, a staggering of 1.7 million people in India have died in 2022 due to exposure to PM 2.5, a fine particulate pollutant. This number is significantly higher than what it was in 2010.
Notably, Lancet Countdown is an international collaboration monitoring climate change and health.
On the flipside, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had challenged these figures calling them statistical rather than actual figures. Another report “State of Global Air 2025” had previously estimated the same number to be 2 million in year 2023.
As per the Lancet report, on average, Indians experienced nearly 20 days of heatwaves in 2024, with one-third of these days linked directly to climate change. Fossil fuel burning, particularly coal and petroleum, was identified as a major contributor to air pollution-related deaths.
The report, which was worked on by 128 experts from 71 institutions, indicated that coal-powered plants and vehicle emissions were responsible for a significant portion of these deaths.
When the Air Turns Costly
This was the havoc raised by the air menace with health, when we have a closer look to economy, then we understand that it is not spared as well. In what seems to be a sucker punch to Indian economy, premature deaths linked to outdoor air pollution in India for year 2022 were valued at approximately $339.4 billion. Notably, this is 9.5% of India’s GDP.
Another contributor to the pollution comes not from the industrial edifices but households. Especially in the rural India, household air pollution which is caused by use of polluting fuels, also contributed significantly to deaths.
The report notes how various diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer etc. are aggravated by air pollution. This is particularly precarious to the elderly in India and calls for urgent action in the health and environmental policies.
Heatwaves in 2024 caused significant labor losses, especially in agriculture and construction. The report also noted a rise in dengue cases and the vulnerability of millions living near sea level due to climate change. Additionally, India lost substantial tree cover, with urban greenery decreasing by 3.6% over the past decade.
Summary
The Lanced report indicated the air pollution has raised havoc in India, claiming that is has caused 1.7 million deaths in India in 2022. As per the report, the air pollution is mainly driven by the fossil fuels and household emissions. Climate change intensified heatwaves, labour losses, and dengue risk, while urban greenery declined. On the economical side of impact, the cost of premature deaths reached $339.4 billion, highlighting the dire need for clean energy, stronger environmental policies, and integrated health measures.
