India climbs global forest rankings, driven by policy initiatives and large-scale afforestation efforts

India has climbed to ninth place in global forest area rankings in the newly released Global Forest Resources Assessment (GFRA) 2025, up from 10th in the previous assessment. The country also retains its third position worldwide for annual forest gains.

The FAO-launched report, presented at Bali, shows that India added an average of 191,000 hectares of forest per year between 2015 and 2025, contributing to global forest expansion and restoration efforts. Asia recorded the highest net annual forest gain in the decade, with India playing a key role despite localized challenges in South and Southeast Asia.

India’s overall forest area now stands at 72.7 million hectares, or roughly 2 per cent of global forests. The growth reflects government-led policy initiatives, state-level plantation drives, and afforestation projects under national schemes.

Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change highlighted India’s achievement on X, Yadav posted, “Here is a reason to rejoice for all Indians. We have achieved 9th rank in terms of forest area globally, up from 10th, and maintained our 3rd position in annual gains. PM Narendra Modi’s call to plant ‘Ek Ped Ma ke Naam’ and push for environmental consciousness is increasing community involvement, ensuring a greener tomorrow for generations to come.”

Globally, the FRA 2025 estimates the total forest area at 4.14 billion hectares, covering 32 per cent of the world’s land. Tropical forests dominate at 45 per cent, followed by boreal (28 per cent), temperate (17 per cent), and subtropical (11 per cent). While net forest loss has slowed worldwide from 17.6 million hectares annually in 1990–2000 to 10.9 million hectares in 2015- 2025 India’s steady gains highlight the impact of consistent policy support and large-scale plantation efforts, offering a model for tropical nations seeking to expand and protect forest resources.