India's Forest Loss Continues: 18,200 Hectares of Primary Forest Lost in 2024
From 2002 to 2024, India lost 348,000 hectares of humid primary forest, accounting for 15% of its total tree cover loss during this period. The total area of humid primary forest in India decreased by 5.4% during this time.
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India's deforestation crisis deepened in 2024, with the country losing 18,200 hectares of primary forest, up from 17,700 hectares in 2023, according to the latest data from Global Forest Watch (GFW). This marks a concerning trend in the degradation of the nation's most ecologically valuable forests.
Since 2001, India has lost approximately 2.31 million hectares of tree cover, equating to a 7.1% decrease in forest cover since 2000 and resulting in an estimated 1.29 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions.
From 2002 to 2024, India lost 348,000 hectares of humid primary forest, accounting for 15% of its total tree cover loss during this period. The total area of humid primary forest in India decreased by 5.4% during this time.
In 2024, 93% of tree cover loss in India occurred within natural forests, with a total loss of 602,000 hectares, equivalent to 273 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent emissions.
However, from 2000 to 2020, India also gained 1.78 million hectares of tree cover, accounting for about 1.4% of the global increase. During the same period, India experienced a net gain of 874,000 hectares (1.3%) in tree cover.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the rate of deforestation in India was approximately 668,000 hectares per year between 2015 and 2020.
The primary drivers of deforestation in India include agricultural expansion, settlements and infrastructure development, and illegal logging.
Between 2001 and 2024, 620,000 hectares of tree cover were lost to permanent agriculture, while logging caused the loss of 182,000 hectares, and natural disturbances led to 35,100 hectares of forest loss. Settlements and infrastructure development contributed to a loss of 30,600 hectares.
During this period, just four states accounted for 52% of India’s total tree cover loss, highlighting a regional concentration of deforestation. Assam led the list with the highest loss at 340,000 hectares, followed by Mizoram with 334,000 hectares, Nagaland with 268,000 hectares, and Manipur with 255,000 hectares. Meghalaya, though ranked fifth, also reported a significant loss of 243,000 hectares, underscoring the intense forest degradation across the northeastern region.
