The World Health Organization’s Global Tuberculosis Report 2025 offers India a mix of encouragement and caution. The report shows that the country has made meaningful progress in reducing cases and deaths linked to tuberculosis, but it also makes it clear that the finish line is still far away. India continues to carry the largest share of TB cases in the world, and the improvements, while significant, are not enough to meet the goals the country has set for itself.

According to the report, India recorded a steady decline in new TB cases between 2015 and 2024. The incidence has fallen by about 21 percent in that period. TB related deaths have also dropped by nearly 28 percent. These numbers are better than the global average decline, which shows that India’s efforts are having an impact. Even with this progress, India still accounts for almost one fourth of the world’s newly diagnosed TB cases. This reality limits how much relief the country can take from the positive trends.

The progress seen so far is the result of stronger detection systems, wider access to diagnostics, more reliable drug regimens and an increased focus on public health planning. India has set an ambitious target of eliminating TB by 2025, and this goal has pushed governments and health agencies to adopt a more urgent approach. However, the report shows that India is not yet on track to meet the targets under the WHO’s End TB Strategy. That global framework aims for a 50 percent fall in TB incidence and a 75 percent fall in TB deaths by 2025. India’s current progress remains short of these levels.

One of the biggest concerns is the continuing rise of drug resistant TB. Multi drug resistant forms of the disease require longer treatment, are harder to cure and spread more easily when services are stretched. Social factors also make the challenge more difficult. Poverty, malnutrition, overcrowded living conditions and delayed access to healthcare create an environment where TB thrives. These issues affect millions of people across the country and cannot be solved by medical treatment alone.

To move forward, experts say India must strengthen early detection in rural and urban poor communities, improve the completion rate of treatment and bring more people into the formal health system. Expanding the use of new diagnostic tools and shorter treatment courses will help reduce both transmission and dropouts. At the same time, the country must address the social drivers of TB, such as nutrition, sanitation and access to stable housing. Without tackling these conditions, medical progress will always be limited.

The importance of sustained funding and political commitment is central to the fight. India has made strong gains in recent years, but TB is a disease that can easily rise again if systems weaken. For a country that carries such a large share of the global burden, consistency is essential. The world is also watching, since India’s success or failure will directly influence global TB numbers.

The WHO report is a reminder of two truths. India has moved forward in meaningful ways, but it is not yet moving fast enough to reach its goals. The country must keep building on what it has achieved, and it must confront the social and economic gaps that continue to fuel the disease. The path ahead is long, but with steady action, India can turn its progress into a lasting victory.