In the latest Global Forest Resources Assessment (GFRA 2025) by the Food and Agriculture Organization, India’s forest area is estimated at roughly 72.74 million hectares — securing the country ninth place worldwide. Notably, India also retains third position globally for annual net forest gain, adding about 191 000 hectares per year between 2015-2025. 

The achievement reflects the combined effect of large-scale afforestation drives, community-led conservation efforts and national campaigns such as ‘Ek Ped Ma Ke Naam’. Experts highlight that Asia is the sole region among continents to record a net forest gain during the last 35 years, with India and China leading the charge.

Yet, the study cautions that global deforestation continues: between 2015-2025 the world still lost around 4.12 million hectares of forest annually. For India, the next challenge lies in improving the quality of forests, restoring degraded lands and safeguarding biomass-rich ecosystems. In short, the 9th-place ranking is a major milestone — but sustaining and deepening the gains will be key to securing India’s green future.