A recent analysis of Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME)’s Global Burden of Disease 2023 data reveals that around 17,188 deaths in the national capital in 2023 were linked to ambient particulate-matter pollution—accounting for roughly 15% of all deaths in Delhi.
This means that out of every seven fatalities in Delhi, one was attributed to polluted air. Experts emphasise that the issue extends well beyond the visible smog of winter - it’s a year-round silent killer.

Despite this data, the central government has stated that no conclusive causal link between air pollution and mortality has been established. 
Researchers at Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) note that deaths attributable to pollution in Delhi have stayed persistently high - often exceeding those from conditions like hypertension or diabetes. 

Given this alarming trend, experts call for urgent, sustained interventions across sectors - energy, transport, industrial emissions and urban planning - to reduce the health burden from toxic air in Delhi.