India lost 18,200 hectares of its main forests in 2024, slightly more than the 17,700 hectares lost in 2023, according to new global data. The information, shared by Global Forest Watch and the University of Maryland, shows that India has lost around 2.31 million hectares of tree cover since 2001. This is a 7.1% drop in tree cover and has resulted in around 1.29 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

Between 2002 and 2024, India also lost 3.48 lakh hectares of humid primary forest, the most important type of forest,  which makes up 15% of the total tree loss in that time. India has been consistently losing humid primary forests over the past few years. In 2022, the country lost 16,900 hectares of these forests, followed by 18,300 hectares in 2021, 17,000 hectares in 2020, and 14,500 hectares in 2019, according to the latest data. Primary forests are defined as mature, natural, humid tropical forests that have not been completely cleared and regrown in recent history. Researchers at Global Forest Watch (GFW) identify these forests using Landsat satellite images and specialised algorithms tailored for different regions.

A large share of the loss, nearly 60%, occurred in five northeastern states: Assam, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Manipur. Assam alone accounted for over 324,000 hectares lost during this period. Fires also played a role, with Odisha witnessing the highest average loss due to forest fires from 2002 to 2022. This forest degradation has contributed significantly to carbon emissions, with India's forests emitting an average of 51 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per year. However, they also act as carbon sinks, absorbing about 141 million tonnes annually, resulting in a net removal of nearly 90 million tonnes of CO₂ per year.

While the country has increased its tree plantations, especially agroforestry, by 20% over the last decade, environmental experts caution that these do not compensate for the loss of natural forests. Discrepancies in forest data between national reports and global assessments have also raised concerns about accurate reporting. In response, conservation efforts are being ramped up, including legal actions like the proposal to declare certain cleared areas as forest land and ecological restoration of degraded regions. However, policy changes such as the Forest Conservation Amendment Act, 2023, which eases land diversion rules near international borders, have sparked debates about balancing development with environmental sustainability.