India rises to ninth position globally in total forest area

India has climbed to ninth place worldwide in total forest area, according to the Global Forest Resources Assessment (GFRA) 2025 released by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Bali. The country previously held the tenth position.

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav highlighted the achievement on the social media platform X, noting that India has also retained its third-place ranking globally for annual forest area gain.

The Minister attributed this progress to government initiatives under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aimed at forest protection, afforestation, and community-led environmental programmes.

Campaigns like ‘Ek Ped Ma Ke Naam’ have encouraged citizens to participate in tree planting and forest conservation, boosting public engagement in environmental stewardship.

Yadav said the achievement reflects the combined efforts of central and state governments in planning, policy implementation, and large-scale plantation drives, reinforcing India’s commitment to sustainable forest management and ecological balance.