Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: In a significant milestone for environmental conservation efforts, India has secured the ninth rank globally in forest area in 2025 — up from the 10th position in 2020, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav said on October 22. The country has also retained its third position in annual forest area gain, according to the Global Forest Resources Assessment (GFRA) 2025 released by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Bali, Indonesia.
In the previous GFRA assessment, India was ranked 10th in forest area. Announcing the achievement in a post on the social media platform X, Yadav reaffirmed India’s steady progress in sustainable forest management. “Here is a reason to rejoice for all Indians. We have achieved ninth rank in terms of forest area at the global level as compared to 10th spot in the previous assessment. We have also maintained our third position globally in terms of annual gain,” Yadav posted on X.
“The achievement comes on the back of the Modi Government’s planning and policies for protection and enhancement of the forest and massive plantation efforts by State Governments,” Yadav added. The Government has been implementing programmes aimed at forest protection, afforestation, and community-led environmental action. This includes the Prime Minister’s call for ‘Ek Ped Ma Ke Naam’ and his continued emphasis on environmental consciousness, inspiring people across the nation to participate actively in tree plantation and protection.
“This growing public participation is fostering a strong sense of collective responsibility towards a greener and sustainable future,” Yadav said.
