India Rises to 9th Globally in Forest Area, Retains 3rd Spot in Annual Forest Gain

New Delhi, October 22, 2025: India has climbed to the 9th position worldwide in total forest area, according to the Global Forest Resources Assessment (GFRA) 2025 released by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Bali. The country also continues to hold the 3rd position globally in annual forest area gain, highlighting its strong commitment to sustainable forest management.

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change,  Bhupender Yadav, shared this achievement on social media platform ‘X’, emphasizing that India’s rise in ranking from 10th to 9th reflects the success of the government’s environmental initiatives.

 Yadav credited this progress to the policies and programmes led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, focusing on forest protection, afforestation, and community-driven environmental action. Initiatives like ‘Ek Ped Ma Ke Naam’ have encouraged widespread public participation in tree plantation and forest conservation across the country.

The Minister noted that active involvement of citizens, combined with state-level plantation efforts, has strengthened India’s collective responsibility towards a greener and sustainable future.

This milestone reaffirms India’s position as a global leader in forest conservation and ecological sustainability, underscoring the government’s continued focus on environmental protection.