Destinations › Asia · The Destination Index · universal template · every figure sourced
India.
Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan. 3,287,263 sq km and 1,463,865,525 people, 7,000 km of coastline, varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north.
Region · AsiaPopulation · ~1,463,865,525Languages · Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati. 22 scheduled languages, over 120 in daily useEco Index · 67/100 · Passable
The Eco Index across 12 pillars · scored 0 to 5 · World Bank, OWID, WHO/UNICEF JMP, FiBL, Protected Planet, IUCN, UNESCO (2023-24)
Water
Food & farming
Plant-based
Organic
Conservation
Wildlife
Materials
Pollution
Recycling
Energy
Culture
Heritage
The History of India.
India holds one of the world's deepest living heritages. UNESCO's intangible heritage list for India includes the tradition of Vedic chanting, Kutiyattam Sanskrit theatre, the Buddhist chanting of Ladakh, yoga, Chhau and Kalbelia dance, Kumbh Mela, Durga Puja in Kolkata and Deepavali, and the Hindustani and Carnatic classical music systems are both still widely performed.
Where the name comes from
Bhārat in Hindi, from the ancient Bhārata. 'India' comes through Greek and Persian from the river Sindhu, the Indus. Source: UK Permanent Committee on Geographical Names toponymic factfile.
The land itself: the Deccan plateau in the south, the Gangetic plain across the north, desert in the west, and the Himalaya along the northern rim. Its high point is Kangchenjunga, 8,586 m. Source: UK Permanent Committee on Geographical Names toponymic factfile.
Where it starts
Deeper than almost anywhere
Acheulian handaxes lie in deep clay layers at Attirampakkam in Tamil Nadu, the type site of the handaxe-based Madras industries. Luminescence dating at the same site puts the shift to Middle Palaeolithic technique at about 385,000 years ago, much earlier than conventionally presumed for South Asia. In central India, the rock shelters of Bhimbetka carry paintings that appear to date from the Mesolithic through to historical times.
How it got here
Cities, texts, and 1947
Between about 3000 and 1500 BC, Dholavira in Gujarat was the southern centre of the Harappan civilisation, a walled city with a heavily fortified castle, a ceremonial ground, streets and houses. India became independent on 15 August 1947, when the Union of India and Pakistan were created from the former British India.
The timeline
Lower Palaeolithic
Attirampakkam.
Acheulian stone tools lie in deep clay layers at Attirampakkam in Tamil Nadu, the type site of the hand axe based Madras industries. ↗
c. 385,000 years ago
A change in technique.
Luminescence dating at the same site places the shift from Acheulian to Middle Palaeolithic tools at about 385,000 years ago, much earlier than once thought for South Asia. ↗
Mesolithic onward
Bhimbetka.
Rock shelters in central India carry paintings that appear to date from the Mesolithic through to historical times. ↗
c. 3000 to 1500 BC
The Indus cities.
Dholavira in Gujarat, the southern centre of the Harappan civilisation, is a fortified city with a castle, a ceremonial ground, streets and houses. ↗
326 to 184 BC
The Mauryan Empire.
Chandragupta Maurya, who rules from 324 to 301 BC, builds the first Indian imperial power. ↗
c. AD 320 to 550
Mathematics and medicine.
Under the Gupta Empire the decimal system is developed, Aryabhata sets out his astronomy in 499, and Charaka and Sushruta describe a fully developed system of medicine. ↗
1858
Company and Crown.
After a failed Indian uprising, India comes under the direct rule of the British crown. ↗
1947
Independence and partition.
British rule ends and the Union of India and Pakistan are created from the former British India. ↗
Protected areas cover just 7.7% of the land (World Bank, 2024) and only 0.24% of territorial waters (World Bank, 2021), a low base for such a biodiverse country. Flagship tiger and rhino reserves are effective, but overall coverage is limited.
Is wild India protected? 7.7% of the land is, against a 30% target for 2030
How protected is nature in India?
Forest cover24.5%
Terrestrial protected area7.7%
Marine protected area0.3%
1008 (mammals, birds, fish & plants) listed as threatened.
Found only here. The Asiatic lion survives in the wild only in Gir, the one horned rhino in Kaziranga, and the Western Ghats and Himalaya are global endemism hotspots for the Bengal tiger, snow leopard and Nilgiri tahr
The watchlist
ThreatenedIndian Griffon (Gyps indicus)Assessed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, with occurrence records for India in GBIF. Publish the species name and a link to its Red List assessment alongside this line so it can be checked.
ThreatenedCup Saucer Plant (Breynia retusa)Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in India in GBIF occurrence data (plant).
ThreatenedGavial (Gavialis gangeticus)Assessed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, with occurrence records for India in GBIF. Publish the species name and a link to its Red List assessment alongside this line so it can be checked.
ThreatenedAsian White-backed Vulture (Gyps bengalensis)Assessed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, with occurrence records for India in GBIF. Publish the species name and a link to its Red List assessment alongside this line so it can be checked.
ThreatenedRed-headed Vulture (Sarcogyps calvus)Assessed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, with occurrence records for India in GBIF. Publish the species name and a link to its Red List assessment alongside this line so it can be checked.
ThreatenedIndian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps)Assessed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, with occurrence records for India in GBIF. Publish the species name and a link to its Red List assessment alongside this line so it can be checked.
ThreatenedBengal Florican (Houbaropsis bengalensis)Assessed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, with occurrence records for India in GBIF. Publish the species name and a link to its Red List assessment alongside this line so it can be checked.
Assessed as Critically Endangered, the highest IUCN threat category for a species still found in the wild, and still recorded in India. Publish the species name and a link to its Red List assessment alongside this line so it can be checked. GBIF holds 67 verified occurrence records.
Gavial (Gavialis gangeticus)
Assessed as Critically Endangered, the highest IUCN threat category for a species still found in the wild, and still recorded in India. Publish the species name and a link to its Red List assessment alongside this line so it can be checked. GBIF holds 52 verified occurrence records.
Species named here are drawn from GBIF occurrence records for India filtered to the IUCN Red List threatened categories. Species are listed where GBIF holds occurrence records for them in this country. Record counts are not published here because the figure cannot be reproduced from a public GBIF query.
Botanical garden in Uttar Pradesh, mapped and named in the open record for India. OpenStreetMap.
Water and Ocean in India.
India draws on Himalayan rivers and the monsoon but faces severe water stress and some of the world's fastest groundwater depletion. At least basic drinking water reaches most of the population (WHO/UNICEF JMP), yet a reliable safely managed figure is not published and tap water is not safe for visitors.
Does India have enough fresh water? Under pressure
76.4% of people here have safely managed drinking water at home (2024, WHO/UNICEF JMP). Most homes have a safe supply, but coverage is not universal, so check locally before drinking from the tap.
Cleanest water: High Himalayan streams and the reefs of the Andaman Islands
How much fresh water does India have, per person?
1,014 m³
India
1,000 m³
the UN “water scarce” line
India withdraws about 647,500 million cubic metres of fresh water a year (2022). That is 66.5% of the fresh water actually available to it, which FAO counts as high water stress. Of what is taken, farming takes 90%, homes and towns 7%, industry 2%. Source: FAO AQUASTAT.
What are the rules on India beaches?
✕Tap water: Not drinkable.
✓Plastic rules: Yes; identified single use plastics were banned nationwide from 1 July 2022, though enforcement is uneven.
✕Solo travel: rated take care on the record for this destination.
✕Marine protection: 0.24% of the sea is protected. The 30x30 pledge for 2030 is not met yet.
Named on the open map: ACHRA BEACH, Arnala Beach, Arossim Beach, Betalbatim Beach, Cansaulim Beach, Colva Beach, Fatrade Beach, Nattika Beach. That is 13 named beaches in the public record for India, each one a place you can look up before you go. OpenStreetMap.
Where does the sewage go?
62.8%
of people have safely managed sanitation
62.8% of people here use a safely managed sanitation service, meaning waste is contained, emptied and treated rather than reaching the ground or the sea untreated (2024, World Bank / WHO-UNICEF JMP, SDG 6.2.1). The rest is what the rivers and the coast receive.
How is the sea around India doing?
One cross-section, every answer measured.
Surface
What the coast carries
Monsoon Jun–Sep; the best weather is Oct–Mar, and the mountains are superb May–Sep.
Nearshore
Protected water
0.3% of territorial waters are protected, against the 30% pledged for 2030 under the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Cleanest
Where the water is cleanest
High Himalayan streams and the reefs of the Andaman Islands.
The record
Measured
India draws on Himalayan rivers and the monsoon but faces severe water stress and some of the world's fastest groundwater depletion. At least basic drinking water reaches most of the population (WHO/UNICEF JMP), yet a reliable safely managed figure is not published and tap water is not safe for visitors.
India scored 65 out of 100 on the Ocean Health Index in its 2025 assessment, below the global average of 72, and ranked 175th of 220 coastal regions. The index team says it is no longer updating scores, so the 2025 figures may be the last.
Sea protected
0.3%
Against the 30% pledged for 2030 under the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Threatened species
1008 (mammals, birds, fish & plants)
Mammals, birds, fish and higher plants on the IUCN list.
Is the tap water safe in India?
76.4% of people have safely managed drinking water at home (2024, WHO/UNICEF JMP). Renewable fresh water works out at about 1,014 cubic metres per person a year (World Bank).
How hard is the water supply being pushed?
Of every 10 buckets nature refills, 7 are already taken. Withdrawals run at 66.5% of what India renews internally each year (2022, World Bank / FAO AQUASTAT). That is past the 25% mark generally treated as water stress, so the supply is being pushed towards its limit.
When is the best time to visit India? Tap your month.
Tap your month.
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
.
How much fresh water does India actually have?
Nature renews about 1,014 cubic metres of fresh water per person per year here. That ranks India 59 of 208 countries measured, putting it in the drier half of the world. The UN treats anything under 1,000 cubic metres as water scarce, and this is above that line. World Bank / FAO AQUASTAT.
India is the world's largest milk producer, with about 22% of global output (FAO). Food made up only about 5% of its merchandise imports in 2024, and farming still employs about 42% of workers (World Bank, 2025), so the food supply rests largely on domestic farming.
Where does the food in India come from?
5.1% imported
about US$38,135m a year
On the plate: Rice, wheat rotis, lentils or dal, chickpeas and countless vegetables and spices, among the world's most plant based food cultures
1 of 10
bites are imported
India buys in more food energy than it eats. About US$38,135m a year leaves the country to pay for it. The green slice is roughly what still grows here.
Food is 5.1% of everything India imports (2024, World Bank). Farming itself is 16.2% of the economy and 60.1% of the land is agricultural, of which 51.8% is arable. The green slice is roughly what still grows here.
What is killing people in India? The imported diet.
Cause of death, and the diet behind it.
Non-communicable diseases, all combined49.1%
Diabetes10.5%
The health ministry's treatment guideline on the diabetic foot (draft, January 2016) says recent population based data is not available, but estimates that about 45,000 legs are amputated in India every year, and that three in four of these are probably preventable because they start with an infected foot. Source: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Adults living with overweight or obesity. 29.5%.
Can India feed itself?
51.8%
Arable land
60.1%
Agricultural land
257,087,337
Farmers
380,217,251
Arable acres
16.2%
Agriculture, share of GDP
Harvest: Two main seasons, Kharif in autumn and Rabi in spring, with harvest festivals such as Pongal and Makar Sankranti in January
Feeding itself
India is largely self sufficient in staples and a net agricultural exporter, ranking first in the world for milk and pulses and among the top producers of rice and wheat. Food supply rests on domestic farming rather than imports.
Certification
About 1.5% of agricultural land is certified organic (FiBL, 2020), yet India has more organic producers than any other country and the state of Sikkim is fully organic. The national share sits in the middle band.
Water for crops
India draws on Himalayan rivers and the monsoon but faces severe water stress and some of the world's fastest groundwater depletion. At least basic drinking water reaches most of the population (WHO/UNICEF JMP), yet a reliable safely managed figure is not published and tap water is not safe for visitors.
Why the organic number looks like that. Certification covers only part of what is grown cleanly, so a small certified share is a gap in the paperwork rather than proof that nothing is. What the official land record does show: 60.1% of the country is agricultural land and 51.8% is arable (2023, World Bank). Certification is paid for per farm per year by a foreign body, which prices out smallholders, so the organic number reads worse than the practice.
The plant-based kitchen here is not an import. By tonnage, the largest crops grown in India are sugarcane, rice, wheat, potatoes and maize (FAO, FAOSTAT crop production, 2024). That is what the land itself puts on a plate.
Buy direct where residents buy: APMC Market, APMC Vegetable Market, Abdul Razaak Market (Vegatables), Adarsh Nagar Market, Agricultural Products Market Committee, Ahmedabad Historic Gujari Bazaar (Sunday Market). Each is a mapped, named marketplace, so the money stays with the seller rather than the importer. OpenStreetMap.
Not yet checked by us. Plant based kitchens listed publicly: Earth Cafe @ Churchgate, vegan cafe in Mumbai: Indian and international food, smoothie bowls, waffles and pizza; Rare Earth - The Vegan Cafe, vegan cafe in Khar West, Mumbai: burgers, sandwiches and pizza plus dosa and curries; Aharveda Restaurant, vegan restaurant in Andheri West, Mumbai: Indian and Western dishes with a thali that changes daily; Pause Cafe, vegan cafe in Bandra West, Mumbai: tofu scramble, hummus toast and Thai green curry; Chana, vegetarian restaurant in Palolem, Goa: falafel and hummus, with some dishes vegan or made vegan on request; GHAAS PHOOS, vegetarian kitchen in Benaulim, Goa: Indian, Chinese, pasta and pizza with a few vegan and Jain options. Tell us how they are.
Is this grown in India?
Tap a food for the honest answer.
RiceWheat rotisLentils or dalChickpeasCountless vegetablesSpices
.
RiceWheat rotisLentils or dalChickpeasCountless vegetablesSpices
India emits only about 2.2 tonnes of CO2 per person (2024, Our World in Data, Global Carbon Project), well under half the world average, reflecting low consumption across a vast population. Fossil fuels still generate 73% of its electricity, but the country is expanding solar and wind rapidly and overtook France and Canada in 2025 to become the world's fourth largest clean electricity generator, with clean sources at 27% of generation and wind and solar at 14% (Ember). India has pledged net-zero by 2070 and a target of 500 GW of non-fossil capacity by 2030. Its very low per-capita footprint places it in the upper band despite the coal-heavy grid.
What powers India?
Renewable 24.1%Fossil 73.4%
Power Grid Corporation of India (POWERGRID), a listed company in which the Government of India holds 51.34 per cent, runs about 84 per cent of the country's inter-regional transmission network. As of 30 September 2026 it had 187,576 circuit km of lines and 293 substations. Grid Controller of India (Grid-India), formerly POSOCO, runs the National Load Despatch Centre and five regional load despatch centres. It has worked independently of POWERGRID since 2017 and is a central public sector enterprise under the Ministry of Power. It follows a grid code set by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC), which also sets the fees Grid-India charges.
Climate pollution per person
The safe amount, what the planet can absorb
2 tonnes
One person here
2.17 tonnes
The world average, for comparison
4.7 tonnes
The worst it ever got
2.17 tonnes
The grid
India emits only about 2.17 tonnes of CO2 per person (2024, Our World in Data, Global Carbon Project), well under half the world average, reflecting low consumption across a vast population. Fossil fuels still generate 73% of its electricity, but the country is expanding solar and wind rapidly and overtook France and Canada in 2025 to become the world's fourth largest clean electricity generator, with clean sources at 27% of generation and wind and solar at 14% (Ember).
Pollution
India has some of the world's worst air, with a national PM2.5 annual mean of 48.9 micrograms per cubic metre (IQAir, 2025) and the Delhi region far higher, many times WHO guidance. Identified single use plastics were banned nationwide in July 2022, but enforcement is uneven and litter is heavy.
Water stress
India draws on Himalayan rivers and the monsoon but faces severe water stress and some of the world's fastest groundwater depletion. At least basic drinking water reaches most of the population (WHO/UNICEF JMP), yet a reliable safely managed figure is not published and tap water is not safe for visitors.
What pollutes most here
1The gridThe share of electricity still generated from fossil fuel.76%
2IndustryDelhi is the world's most polluted capital city and India holds four of the world's most polluted cities (IQAir, 2023). Coal power and heavy industry are a major driver, with up to 42% of India's PM2.5 formed in the atmosphere from sulphur dioxide and other precursor gases..named
3AirModelled annual mean against a WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.54.4
4On the recordIndia has some of the world's worst air, with a national PM2.5 annual mean of 48.9 micrograms per cubic metre (IQAir, 2025) and the Delhi region far higher, many times WHO guidance.
What has India promised on climate?
Net zero, whole economy2070
Electricity renewable today19.1% (2021)
Land protected, against a 30% target7.7% by 2025
Sea protected, against a 30% target0.3% by 2025
The net-zero target year on file with Climate Watch is 2070, status: in policy document; in political pledge. Measured against it, 19.1% of electricity is already renewable (2021, World Bank), so 80.9% of the grid is still to be converted. The pledge on file is measured here against what has actually been delivered, not taken on its own (UNFCCC NDC Registry, CBD Kunming-Montreal Target 3).
The biggest line item
One return flight against a whole year of living.
A resident's entire year2.17 t CO2e
Safe-climate budget, per year2 t CO2e
Los Angeles return, economy2.32 t CO2e
New York return, economy2.12 t CO2e
Sydney return, economy1.88 t CO2e
Johannesburg return, economy1.45 t CO2e
London return, economy1.21 t CO2e
How much CO2 does flying to India emit?
Tap where you would fly from. One return flight, economy.
Los AngelesNew YorkSydneyJohannesburgLondon
.
Firsts on climate finance. India issued its first sovereign green bonds in January and February 2023, raising ₹16,000 crore in two tranches of ₹8,000 crore. About 78 per cent of that money went to clean transport, mainly urban metro rail. In 2023/24 the government raised ₹20,000 crore in four tranches, including its first 30 year green bonds, worth ₹10,000 crore. It raised a further ₹21,697 crore in 2024/25 and ₹15,000 crore in 2025/26, according to the finance ministry. The proceeds pay for public projects that cut the carbon intensity of the economy, such as metro rail, solar and wind schemes and the National Mission for a Green India.
Every prompt runs on a machine in a building on somebody’s grid. What that costs the planet depends less on the prompt than on what is burning to power it. Here is what would power one in India.
Data centres
246
Registered colocation and interconnection facilities, PeeringDB, 2026
Grid renewable
24.1 %
What a machine here runs on.
What powers a data centre in India?
Almost everything a machine here consumes is burned fossil fuel.
Renewable 24.1%Fossil 75.9%
Cooling water. Every one of those halls runs on the national grid, which is 19.1% renewable today (World Bank). A data centre is only as clean as the electricity behind it, so the same figure that decides this country's climate score also decides the footprint of the AI running inside it. Cooling water use is not separately published by facility, and no operator here reports it.
The rules. India has 246 colocation and interconnection facilities on the public PeeringDB register, concentrated in Mumbai (38), Chennai (19), Navi Mumbai (15), alongside 41 internet exchanges (NIXI Delhi, NIXI Mumbai, NIXI Chennai, NIXI Hyderabad). Named sites include TATA Communications Chennai, TATA Communications Cochin, TATA Communications Mumbai, HNS - IDC01.
Where the cables land. 26 landing points · Agatti, Amini, Andrott, Bangaram
99% residents to 1% visitors across a year. 17,914,000 international arrivals in 2019 against 1,463,865,525 people who live here (2025, World Bank / UN Tourism).
Where a visitor dollar goes in India
17,914k
Visitors a year
0.0
Visitors per resident
How deep in debt is India?· for every $100 India earns in a year, it owes…
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · the 2020 peak
$ 91The worst year on the IMF record. India owed $91 for every $100 it earned.
IMF World Economic Outlook, 2020signed, the creditors
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · today
$ 83What is owed now, for every $100 of national income (2026).
IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026signed, the creditors
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · projected 2031
$ 78The IMF's own forecast has this falling to $78 by 2031.
IMF World Economic Outlook projection, 2031signed, the forecast
For every $100 India earns in a year, it owes $83 (2026, IMF World Economic Outlook). The interest on that is paid before schools, clinics or coastline get their turn.
Where does a tourist dollar actually go in India?
Play one tourist dollar around the board. Every square is a measured fact from this page.
START!
1
GO: a visitor lands
$100 goes on the table. 17,914,000 international arrivals in 2019 against 1,463,865,525 residents, one visitor a year for every 82 residents (World Bank / UN Tourism).
$100 in play
2
The bed
Who owns the largest places to stay in India is not published in the records we can check, so this square is left open rather than guessed. Where a listing names its owner, it is shown in the ownership table below.
not published
3
The plate
Food is only 5.1% of everything India imports (2024, World Bank), so most of a meal is bought from producers inside the country. Eating what the land here actually grows, sugarcane, rice, wheat, potatoes, vegetables, maize, bananas, onions, keeps that money with the grower.
mostly home-grown
4
The power
80.9% of the electricity is fossil (2021, World Bank). Lighting, cooling and hot water are paid for largely in imported fuel.
burns away
5
What actually stays
On the parts that can be measured, the power leaves and the plate stays. It is genuinely a coin toss, decided by what you book.
split
6
Pay the bank first
India owes $83 for every $100 it earns (IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026 projection). The interest is paid before anything else on this board.
$83 per $100
7
A spread hand
The largest single export, mineral fuels and oils, is 13.2% of the total (2025, UN Comtrade). No one shock can take the whole board.
top export 20.7%
8
Community chest
Tourism earns 2.8% of everything India makes from exports (2020, World Bank / UN Tourism). That is how much of the economy depends on the game continuing.
2.8% of exports
9
The flight
Getting here is usually the biggest single line on the bill. From Los Angeles a return economy seat is 2.32 t CO2, on the UK Government's published conversion factors. It is the one part of the trip this board cannot reduce.
2.32 t CO2
10
Back to GO
The economy turns over about US$4,153 billion a year (IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026 projection). Every lap of this board is a choice about how much of it stays.
US$4,153bn
GDPUS$3,956.1bn
Agriculture, share of GDP16.2%
Visitors a year17,914,000
Visitors per resident0
Residents~1,463,865,525
Agriculture
Farming is 16.2% of the economy. India is largely self sufficient in staples and a net agricultural exporter, ranking first in the world for milk and pulses and among the top producers of rice and wheat.
Natural materials
India holds one of the world's richest living textile traditions, from handspun khadi cotton and handloom weaving to silk, jute, wool, pashmina, block printing and natural dyeing, all still made at scale.
Energy
India emits only about 2.17 tonnes of CO2 per person (2024, Our World in Data, Global Carbon Project), well under half the world average, reflecting low consumption across a vast population. Fossil fuels still generate 73% of its electricity, but the country is expanding solar and wind rapidly and overtook France and Canada in 2025 to become the world's fourth largest clean electricity generator, with clean sources at 27% of generation and wind and solar at 14% (Ember).
Who owns the biggest hotels in India?
By rooms · company records and press.
Lakshman Sagar · ~12 roomsIndependentnot published
Svasara Jungle Lodge · ~12 roomsIndependentnot published
The Tamara Coorg · ~56 roomsCorporatenot published
Tree House Hideaway · ~5 roomsIndependentnot published
Forsyth Lodge · ~4 roomsIndependentnot published
Maati Jungle EcoLodge · ~6 roomsIndependentnot published
The Machan · ~29 roomsIndependentnot published
Visitors, over time
201413,107k
201513,284k
201614,570k
201715,543k
201817,423k
201917,914k
International tourism receipts run at about US$13.41 billion in 2020 (World Bank / UN Tourism). That is 2.8% of everything the country earns from exports.
How much of your money actually stays here?
Tap the holiday you are planning.
All-inclusive resortForeign-owned hotel and tourist restaurantsLocally owned stay and local restaurantsGuesthouse, markets and public transport
Resort guest, villa renter, family, nomad or backpacker. The honest playbook for each, from the same sourced numbers.
Already booked a resort? · the rescue list
Practical swaps that keep more of your money in the local economy
1. Eat where the country eats Choose kitchens cooking rice, wheat rotis, lentils or dal, chickpeas and countless vegetables and spices, among the world's most plant based food cultures over imported menus. The checked list →
2. Book with a local operator Never the lobby desk. The margin on a tour is the part that stays.
3. Stay somewhere locally owned Ownership decides where the room rate books. Eco stays →
4. Use the transport residents use One of the world's largest railway networks, plus buses, autorickshaws and domestic flights
5. Buy the craft, not the souvenir Natural-materials work made here pays the maker directly; imported gifts pay a shipping line.
swipe →
First time here
India offers perhaps the world's deepest plant based food culture and its most iconic wildlife, set against severe air pollution, water stress and low protected area coverage.
Best time: October to March
Getting around
One of the world's largest railway networks, plus buses, autorickshaws and domestic flights
Transport is where the fare either stays or leaves.
Eating here
The everyday plate is rice, wheat rotis, lentils or dal, chickpeas and countless vegetables and spices, among the world's most plant based food cultures. India has perhaps the world's deepest plant based food culture, built on rice, wheat rotis, dal, chickpeas and a huge range of vegetables and spices, with vegetarian food available everywhere.
Eating what the country grows is the cheapest way to cut the import bill.
Good to know
UPI and cards everywhere; INR. Bargaining is normal in markets.
None of the 7 properties listed here publishes who ultimately owns it, so no claim is made either way. Ownership is what decides how much of a room rate stays in the country, which is why we show it when a listing states it.
Society and Governance in India.
How well is India actually run?
Governance, measured · World Bank WGI
Four measured answers, none of them opinion. Averaged across corruption control, delivery and accountability, India scores 52 out of 100 (2024, World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators). That matters here because every pledge on this page is only as good as the machinery meant to deliver it.
How well is India run? · each scored out of 100, higher is better
Clean government, scored 42 of 100
Control of corruption scores 41.9 out of 100 (2024, World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators). That is below the halfway mark of governments measured.
42
Freedom and rights, scored 56 of 100
Voice and accountability, which measures free expression, free media and the ability to choose a government, scores 55.5 out of 100 (2024, World Bank WGI). Citizens have some room to question their government.
56
Government effectiveness, scored 63 of 100
Government effectiveness, which measures the quality of public services and how well policy is actually delivered, scores 62.6 out of 100 (2025, World Bank WGI). Delivery is rated above average.
63
Income equality, scored 26 of 100
The Gini index of income inequality reads 25.5 (2022, World Bank). Zero is perfect equality and 100 is one person holding everything. Below 40 is the level usually treated as manageable, and India sits inside it.
26
LGBTQ+ status: MixedSolo female travel: Take care78.2% adult literacyIndustry to avoid: Coal power and heavy industry drive the world's worst urban air, and the Delhi region is the most polluted
Getting around, breathing, throwing away, learning. The honest checklist.
TransportAirWaterWastePower
✓How you get around One of the world's largest railway networks, plus buses, autorickshaws and domestic flights
✓Air quality, measured Modelled annual mean 54.4. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³.
✓Where the air is cleanest The Himalayan hill states and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
·Tap water Not drinkable
✓What to drink Bottled water always; avoid ice unless from sealed factory packs.
✓Plastic rules Yes; identified single use plastics were banned nationwide from 1 July 2022, though enforcement is uneven
✓Sockets and voltage Type A/B/C, 220V (varies)
78.2%
literacy. Public spending on education runs at 4.1% of GDP and 14.2% of all government spending, and secondary enrolment stands at 79.6% gross (UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2022 to 2025).
Made in India.
India holds one of the world's richest living textile traditions, from handspun khadi cotton and handloom weaving to silk, jute, wool, pashmina, block printing and natural dyeing, all still made at scale. Every step of processing done at home is value that stops leaving the country.
What India actually sells the world
The single biggest thing India sells the world is mineral fuels and oils, 20.7% of all exports in 2023 (about US$89.33 billion, UN Comtrade). The next four are pearls, gemstones and precious metals at 7.7%, electrical machinery and electronics at 7.5%, machinery and mechanical appliances at 6.8%, pharmaceuticals at 4.9%.
Made now · natural materials
India holds one of the world's richest living textile traditions
Worked in India from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Handloom weaving to silk
Worked in India from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Jute
Worked in India from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Wool
Worked in India from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Pashmina
Worked in India from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Buys in · 4.1% of imports
Organic chemicals
India imported US$27.26 billion of organic chemicals in 2023, 4.1% of everything it bought abroad, and sells none of it back. Every point of that is a business that could be built at home rather than shipped in. UN Comtrade.
Buys in · 3.4% of imports
Plastics
India imported US$22.59 billion of plastics in 2023, 3.4% of everything it bought abroad, and sells none of it back. Every point of that is a business that could be built at home rather than shipped in. UN Comtrade.
Buys in · 2.8% of imports
Iron and steel
India imported US$18.92 billion of iron and steel in 2023, 2.8% of everything it bought abroad, and sells none of it back. Every point of that is a business that could be built at home rather than shipped in. UN Comtrade.
Buys in · 2.5% of imports
Animal and vegetable fats and oils
India imported US$16.55 billion of animal and vegetable fats and oils in 2023, 2.5% of everything it bought abroad, and sells none of it back. Every point of that is a business that could be built at home rather than shipped in. UN Comtrade.
The maths for an entrepreneur. India produces about US$3,956 billion a year, which is roughly US$2,702 per person (2025, World Bank). Farming is 16.2% of that, while food is 5.1% of everything the country imports. With 51.8% of the land arable, the raw material for that is already in the ground.
One of India's two great classical music traditions, honoured in the national Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards.
Carnatic classical music
The classical music of the south, honoured alongside Hindustani music in the national Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards.
UNESCO listed in 2010
Kalbelia songs and dances
Once snake handlers, the Kalbelia of Rajasthan dance like a serpent in swirling black skirts, with special dances during Holi.
UNESCO listed in 2010Spring festival of Chaitra Parva
Chhau dance
A dance from eastern India that acts out the epics, in three styles from Seraikella, Purulia and Mayurbhanj, two of them masked.
Does India protect its heritage by law?
Partly, and the gaps say as much as the protections.
What is kept alive. India holds one of the world's deepest living heritages, with eight recognised classical dance forms including Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi and Kathakali, and the Hindustani and Carnatic classical music systems. Living spiritual and ancestral traditions run through daily life across Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Buddhist practice, yoga and Vedic ritual, while Adivasi indigenous communities maintain distinct ancestral knowledge. Mass observances such as the Kumbh Mela, Ramlila, Chhau, Kalbelia and Yakshagana are actively practised at enormous scale.
Who it belongs to. India's living cultural diversity is vast, including many Adivasi or indigenous communities, and homestays and community tourism are widespread alongside mass tourism. Craft, food and festival traditions keep money reaching local hands.
Only here. The Asiatic lion, which lives in the wild nowhere else on earth except Gujarat, where the May 2025 estimate counted 891 lions ranging across about 35,000 sq km of Saurashtra in 11 districts, no longer in the Gir Forest alone.
Three futures for India, every one run forward from measured data.
Where the making actually happens
Named cultural and craft sites on the open map: Craft Based Resource Centre for Natural Fibre Craft (Kerala), Museum(Senchal Wildlife Sanctuary) (West Bengal), Botanical Garden (Blue Line) (Noida), Botanical Garden (Magenta Line) (Noida). OpenStreetMap. Named craft workshops on the open map: Cauvery Arts And Crafts Emporium, Contemporary Arts & Crafts, Handicraft emporium, M K Fancy.
Every measured trend on one line
Run forward at the pace already recorded.
+10%
Forest cover
1995: 22.1% → 2024: 24.4%
+9%
Renewable electricity
1995: 17.5% → 2021: 19.1%
+162%
CO2 per person
1995: 0.83 t → 2024: 2.17 t
+743%
Tourist arrivals
1995: 2,124k → 2019: 17,914k
+31%
Protected land
2013: 5.9% → 2025: 7.7%
-33%
Farm workforce
1995: 62% → 2025: 41.6%
+50%
Protected sea
2013: 0.2% → 2025: 0.3%
-2%
Agricultural land
1995: 60.9% → 2024: 59.9%
+34%
Urban population
1995: 26.6% → 2025: 35.7%
+13%
Air pollution
1995: 48 µg/m³ → 2023: 54.1 µg/m³
-33%
Fresh water per person
1995: 1,506 m³ → 2022: 1,014 m³
+254%
Adult overweight
1995: 8.33% → 2022: 29.5%
+94%
Electricity access
1995: 51.4% → 2024: 99.9%
+620%
GDP per person
1995: 375 → 2025: 2,702
+52%
Population
1995: 960,301k → 2025: 1,463,866k
-29%
Renewable energy use
1995: 49.5% → 2021: 34.9%
+115%
Energy per person
1995: 362 kg → 2024: 777 kg
+32%
Protected area, total
2013: 3.4% → 2025: 4.5%
+19%
Life expectancy
1995: 60.6 yrs → 2024: 72.2 yrs
+73%
Cereal yield
1995: 2,106 kg/ha → 2024: 3,632 kg/ha
+150%
Fertiliser use
1995: 85.6 kg/ha → 2024: 214 kg/ha
-12%
Rural population
1995: 73.4% → 2025: 64.3%
+330%
Water productivity
1995: 1.07 $/m3 → 2022: 4.62 $/m3
-19%
Health spending
2000: 4.11% → 2023: 3.34%
+11%
Forest area
1995: 657,645 km2 → 2025: 727,390 km2
+245%
Electric power use
1995: 354 kWh → 2024: 1,223 kWh
+34%
Emissions: Agriculture
1990: 603.5 MtCO2e → 2023: 808.7 MtCO2e
+58%
Emissions: Building
1990: 151.9 MtCO2e → 2023: 240.3 MtCO2e
+569%
Emissions: Electricity/Heat
1990: 232.9 MtCO2e → 2023: 1557 MtCO2e
+333%
Emissions: Energy
1990: 693.9 MtCO2e → 2023: 3001 MtCO2e
+533%
Emissions: Industrial Processes
1990: 34.9 MtCO2e → 2023: 221.1 MtCO2e
+347%
Emissions: Manufacturing/Construction
1990: 151 MtCO2e → 2023: 675.6 MtCO2e
World Bank open data, recorded series
How much forest is left?
Forest cover moved from 22.1% to 24.4% across 29 recorded years.
World Bank, Forest area (% of land area) (AG.LND.FRST.ZS) https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/AG.LND.FRST.ZS?locations=IN
How clean is the grid?
Renewable electricity moved from 17.5% to 19.1% across 26 recorded years.
World Bank, Renewable electricity output (% of total electricity output) (EG.ELC.RNEW.ZS) https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EG.ELC.RNEW.ZS?locations=IN
How much climate pollution per person?
CO2 per person moved from 0.83 t to 2.17 t across 29 recorded years.
World Bank, Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions excluding LULUCF per capita (t CO2e/capita) (EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5) https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5?locations=IN
How many people visit?
Tourist arrivals moved from 2,124k to 17,914k across 24 recorded years.
World Bank, International tourism, number of arrivals (ST.INT.ARVL) https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/ST.INT.ARVL?locations=IN
How much land is protected?
Protected land moved from 5.9% to 7.7% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank, Terrestrial protected areas (% of total land area) (ER.LND.PTLD.ZS) https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/ER.LND.PTLD.ZS?locations=IN
How many people still farm?
Farm workforce moved from 62% to 41.6% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank, Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) (SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS) https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS?locations=IN
How much sea is protected?
Protected sea moved from 0.2% to 0.3% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank, Marine protected areas (% of territorial waters) (ER.MRN.PTMR.ZS) https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/ER.MRN.PTMR.ZS?locations=IN
How much land is farmed?
Agricultural land moved from 60.9% to 59.9% across 29 recorded years.
World Bank, Agricultural land (% of land area) (AG.LND.AGRI.ZS) https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/AG.LND.AGRI.ZS?locations=IN
How fast is it urbanising?
Urban population moved from 26.6% to 35.7% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank, Urban population (% of total population) (SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS) https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS?locations=IN
Is the air getting cleaner?
Air pollution moved from 48 µg/m³ to 54.1 µg/m³ across 28 recorded years.
World Bank, PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure (micrograms per cubic meter) (EN.ATM.PM25.MC.M3) https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.ATM.PM25.MC.M3?locations=IN
Is water getting scarcer?
Fresh water per person moved from 1,506 m³ to 1,014 m³ across 27 recorded years.
World Bank, Renewable internal freshwater resources per capita (cubic meters) (ER.H2O.INTR.PC) https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/ER.H2O.INTR.PC?locations=IN
Is diet-related disease rising?
Adult overweight moved from 8.33% to 29.5% across 27 recorded years.
World Bank, Prevalence of overweight (% of adults) (SH.STA.OWAD.ZS) https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.STA.OWAD.ZS?locations=IN
Who has power?
Electricity access moved from 51.4% to 99.9% across 29 recorded years.
World Bank, Access to electricity (% of population) (EG.ELC.ACCS.ZS) https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EG.ELC.ACCS.ZS?locations=IN
Is income rising?
GDP per person moved from 375 to 2,702 across 30 recorded years.
World Bank, GDP per capita (current US$) (NY.GDP.PCAP.CD) https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD?locations=IN
How fast is it growing?
Population moved from 960,301k to 1,463,866k across 30 recorded years.
World Bank, Population, total (SP.POP.TOTL) https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL?locations=IN
What share of all energy is renewable?
Renewable energy use moved from 49.5% to 34.9% across 26 recorded years.
World Bank, Renewable energy consumption (% of total final energy consumption) (EG.FEC.RNEW.ZS) https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EG.FEC.RNEW.ZS?locations=IN
How much energy does one person use?
Energy per person moved from 362 kg to 777 kg across 29 recorded years.
World Bank, Energy use (kg of oil equivalent per capita) (EG.USE.PCAP.KG.OE) https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EG.USE.PCAP.KG.OE?locations=IN
How much land and sea is protected together?
Protected area, total moved from 3.4% to 4.5% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank, Terrestrial and marine protected areas (% of total territorial area) (ER.PTD.TOTL.ZS) https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/ER.PTD.TOTL.ZS?locations=IN
How long do people live?
Life expectancy moved from 60.6 yrs to 72.2 yrs across 29 recorded years.
World Bank, Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (SP.DYN.LE00.IN) https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.LE00.IN?locations=IN
How much does a hectare of cereal produce?
Cereal yield moved from 2,106 kg/ha to 3,632 kg/ha across 29 recorded years.
World Bank, Cereal yield (kg per hectare) (AG.YLD.CREL.KG) https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/AG.YLD.CREL.KG?locations=IN
How much fertiliser goes on the land?
Fertiliser use moved from 85.6 kg/ha to 214 kg/ha across 29 recorded years.
World Bank, Fertilizer consumption (kilograms per hectare of arable land) (AG.CON.FERT.ZS) https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/AG.CON.FERT.ZS?locations=IN
How many people still live rurally?
Rural population moved from 73.4% to 64.3% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank, Rural population (% of total population) (SP.RUR.TOTL.ZS) https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.RUR.TOTL.ZS?locations=IN
How much value per cubic metre of water?
Water productivity moved from 1.07 $/m3 to 4.62 $/m3 across 27 recorded years.
World Bank, Water productivity, total (constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal) (ER.GDP.FWTL.M3.KD) https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/ER.GDP.FWTL.M3.KD?locations=IN
How much goes on health?
Health spending moved from 4.11% to 3.34% across 23 recorded years.
World Bank, Current health expenditure (% of GDP) (SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS) https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS?locations=IN
How much forest is there in total?
Forest area moved from 657,645 km2 to 727,390 km2 across 30 recorded years.
World Bank, Forest area (sq. km) (AG.LND.FRST.K2) https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/AG.LND.FRST.K2?locations=IN
How much electricity per person?
Electric power use moved from 354 kWh to 1,223 kWh across 29 recorded years.
World Bank, Electric power consumption (kWh per capita) (EG.USE.ELEC.KH.PC) https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EG.USE.ELEC.KH.PC?locations=IN
How have agriculture emissions moved?
Agriculture emissions moved from 603.45 to 808.71 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have building emissions moved?
Building emissions moved from 151.85 to 240.31 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have electricity/heat emissions moved?
Electricity/Heat emissions moved from 232.87 to 1557 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have energy emissions moved?
Energy emissions moved from 693.85 to 3001 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have industrial processes emissions moved?
Industrial Processes emissions moved from 34.93 to 221.07 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have manufacturing/construction emissions moved?
Manufacturing/Construction emissions moved from 151.01 to 675.64 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
Worst caseCurrent pathBest case
Worst case
Every measured decline continues at the pace already recorded. The weakest pillar, pollution at 1/5, is the one that gives way first.
Computed from: recorded series extended with no policy change
Current path
Every line above is a recorded World Bank series for this country. The current path is simply those series continuing at the pace already measured.
Computed from: recorded series, no policy change assumed
Best case
The pledges are met on their own stated timetables and the weakest pillars are lifted to match the strongest. India already shows it can do this: food and farming scores 5/5.
Computed from: each published target delivered on its own date
What the best case actually asks for
Lift pollution
It scores 1 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of India's record. India has some of the world's worst air, with a national PM2.5 annual mean of 48.9 micrograms per cubic metre (IQAir, 2025) and the Delhi region far higher, many times WHO guidance.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Lift water
It scores 2 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of India's record. India draws on Himalayan rivers and the monsoon but faces severe water stress and some of the world's fastest groundwater depletion.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Lift organic farming
It scores 2 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of India's record. About 1.5% of agricultural land is certified organic (FiBL, 2020), yet India has more organic producers than any other country and the state of Sikkim is fully organic. The national share sits in the middle band.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Government and Goals in India.
Who is in charge of India now · Office-holders from the UN Protocol and Liaison Service public list of Heads of State and Heads of Government, 20 October 2026. Legislature and election dates from IFES ElectionGuide. Constitution dates from the Constitute Project. Governance scores from the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators 2024.
Narendra Modi
Prime Minister
Narendra Modi is the head of government of India, in office since 26 May 2014. Every climate, protection and energy pledge on this page is delivered, or not, under this administration.
Public opinion, measured
Voice and accountability, the freedom to question government scores 54.9 out of 100 in 2025. On this World Bank scale, 100 is the strongest governance measured. Down from 56.7 in 2024. World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025 data (updated 25 September 2026) https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/worldwide-governance-indicators
Control of corruption scores 42.4 out of 100 in 2025. On this World Bank scale, 100 is the strongest governance measured. Up from 42.0 in 2024. World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025 data (updated 25 September 2026) https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/worldwide-governance-indicators
Political stability and absence of violence scores 55.0 out of 100 in 2025. On this World Bank scale, 100 is the strongest governance measured. Up from 53.2 in 2024. World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025 data (updated 25 September 2026) https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/worldwide-governance-indicators
Rule of law scores 56.5 out of 100 in 2025. On this World Bank scale, 100 is the strongest governance measured. Down from 58.4 in 2024. World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025 data (updated 25 September 2026) https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/worldwide-governance-indicators
Regulatory quality scores 52.6 out of 100 in 2025. On this World Bank scale, 100 is the strongest governance measured. Down from 54.0 in 2024. World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025 data (updated 25 September 2026) https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/worldwide-governance-indicators
Narendra ModiPrime Minister
Parliament (Sansad)Legislature, bicameral
Last election19 April 2024
Constitution1949, as revised to 2023
Government typefederal parliamentary republic
India national goals: climate commitments on record · as recorded by Climate Watch, World Resources Institute
2070
Net zero
In Policy Document<br>In Political Pledge
Net-zero target as recorded by Climate Watch. Status: In Policy Document (11/14/2022, 8/26/2022) In Political Pledge (11/1/2021) ↗
The questions people actually type, answered in full sentences from the sourced data above.
swipe →
Is India sustainable?
India scores 67 out of 100 on the Throne Eco Index, across twelve equally weighted pillars. India offers perhaps the world's deepest plant based food culture and its most iconic wildlife, set against severe air pollution, water stress and low protected area coverage.
Is the water in India safe and plentiful?
India draws on Himalayan rivers and the monsoon but faces severe water stress and some of the world's fastest groundwater depletion. At least basic drinking water reaches most of the population (WHO/UNICEF JMP), yet a reliable safely managed figure is not published and tap water is not safe for visitors.
Can India feed itself?
India is largely self sufficient in staples and a net agricultural exporter, ranking first in the world for milk and pulses and among the top producers of rice and wheat. Food supply rests on domestic farming rather than imports.
Is it easy to eat plant-based in India?
India has perhaps the world's deepest plant based food culture, built on rice, wheat rotis, dal, chickpeas and a huge range of vegetables and spices, with vegetarian food available everywhere. Eating unprocessed and plant based is the default across much of the country.
How much of India is actually protected?
Protected areas cover just 7.7% of the land (World Bank, 2024) and only 0.24% of territorial waters (World Bank, 2021), a low base for such a biodiverse country. Flagship tiger and rhino reserves are effective, but overall coverage is limited.
What wildlife is left in India?
India is one of the most wildlife rich countries on earth, the only home of the wild Asiatic lion, which now ranges across about 35,000 sq km of Saurashtra in Gujarat rather than Gir alone, stronghold of the one horned rhino in Kaziranga, and home to the Bengal tiger, Asian elephant and snow leopard, with the Western Ghats and Himalaya as global endemism hotspots.
Is India on clean energy?
India emits only about 2.17 tonnes of CO2 per person (2024, Our World in Data, Global Carbon Project), well under half the world average, reflecting low consumption across a vast population. Fossil fuels still generate 73% of its electricity, but the country is expanding solar and wind rapidly and overtook France and Canada in 2025 to become the world's fourth largest clean electricity generator, with clean sources at 27% of generation and wind and solar at 14% (Ember). India has pledged net-zero by 2070 and a target of 500 GW of non-fossil capacity by 2030.
How polluted is India?
India has some of the world's worst air, with a national PM2.5 annual mean of 48.9 micrograms per cubic metre (IQAir, 2025) and the Delhi region far higher, many times WHO guidance. Identified single use plastics were banned nationwide in July 2022, but enforcement is uneven and litter is heavy.
Does recycling work in India?
Formal municipal recycling rates are low, though a large informal waste picker sector recovers substantial plastic, paper and metal. Overall recovery remains modest.
Is the farming in India organic?
About 1.5% of agricultural land is certified organic (FiBL, 2020), yet India has more organic producers than any other country and the state of Sikkim is fully organic. The national share sits in the middle band.
Are there natural materials and craft in India?
India holds one of the world's richest living textile traditions, from handspun khadi cotton and handloom weaving to silk, jute, wool, pashmina, block printing and natural dyeing, all still made at scale.
Is there living culture in India?
India's living cultural diversity is vast, including many Adivasi or indigenous communities, and homestays and community tourism are widespread alongside mass tourism. Craft, food and festival traditions keep money reaching local hands.
What heritage does India keep alive?
India holds one of the world's deepest living heritages, with eight recognised classical dance forms including Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi and Kathakali, and the Hindustani and Carnatic classical music systems. Living spiritual and ancestral traditions run through daily life across Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Buddhist practice, yoga and Vedic ritual, while Adivasi indigenous communities maintain distinct ancestral knowledge. Mass observances such as the Kumbh Mela, Ramlila, Chhau, Kalbelia and Yakshagana are actively practised at enormous scale.
So is India actually green? The measured answer
What is working: the record is thin on the headline measures, and the sourced numbers below say why.
What is not: land protected at 7.7% against a 30% mark, sea protected at 0.3% against a 30% mark, renewable electricity at 19.1% against a 100% mark.
India sits 30 of 77 at 67/100. Every name links to its own destination page, built exactly like this one. The full ranking →
What is India particularly good at?
✓Food and farming, scored 5/5. India is largely self sufficient in staples and a net agricultural exporter, ranking first in the world for milk and pulses and among the top producers of rice and wheat. Food supply rests on domestic farming rather than imports.
✓Plant-based eating, scored 5/5. India has perhaps the world's deepest plant based food culture, built on rice, wheat rotis, dal, chickpeas and a huge range of vegetables and spices, with vegetarian food available everywhere. Eating unprocessed and plant based is the default across much of the country.
✓Natural fibres, scored 5/5. India holds one of the world's richest living textile traditions, from handspun khadi cotton and handloom weaving to silk, jute, wool, pashmina, block printing and natural dyeing, all still made at scale.
Where does India score worst?
✕Pollution, scored 1/5. India has some of the world's worst air, with a national PM2.5 annual mean of 48.9 micrograms per cubic metre (IQAir, 2025) and the Delhi region far higher, many times WHO guidance. Identified single use plastics were banned nationwide in July 2022, but enforcement is uneven and litter is heavy.
✕Water, scored 2/5. India draws on Himalayan rivers and the monsoon but faces severe water stress and some of the world's fastest groundwater depletion. At least basic drinking water reaches most of the population (WHO/UNICEF JMP), yet a reliable safely managed figure is not published and tap water is not safe for visitors.
✕Organic farming, scored 2/5. About 1.5% of agricultural land is certified organic (FiBL, 2020), yet India has more organic producers than any other country and the state of Sikkim is fully organic. The national share sits in the middle band.
Similar countries doing it better and worse
Sri LankaScored on the same twelve pillars as India.65
ThailandScored on the same twelve pillars as India.62
LaosScored on the same twelve pillars as India.63
MongoliaScored on the same twelve pillars as India.58
JordanScored on the same twelve pillars as India.50
MaldivesScored on the same twelve pillars as India.47
A note from the lens of mother natureswipe →
Pollution, 1/5
India has some of the world's worst air, with a national PM2.5 annual mean of 48.9 micrograms per cubic metre (IQAir, 2025) and the Delhi region far higher, many times WHO guidance. Identified single use plastics were banned nationwide in July 2022, but enforcement is uneven and litter is heavy.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of India's record, so it is where the score moves first.
Water, 2/5
India draws on Himalayan rivers and the monsoon but faces severe water stress and some of the world's fastest groundwater depletion. At least basic drinking water reaches most of the population (WHO/UNICEF JMP), yet a reliable safely managed figure is not published and tap water is not safe for visitors.
Organic farming, 2/5
About 1.5% of agricultural land is certified organic (FiBL, 2020), yet India has more organic producers than any other country and the state of Sikkim is fully organic. The national share sits in the middle band.
The India Directory.
Everything on My Ideal World that sits in India, checked and listed.
How the rest of the world scores India
Independent global indices, for calibration.
Forest cover
24.4
World Bank, 2024.
Protected land
7.7
World Bank, 2025.
Protected sea
0.3
World Bank, 2025.
Renewable grid
19.1
World Bank, 2021.
CO2 per person
2.2
World Bank, 2024.
Threatened species
1008 (mammals, birds, fish & plants)
Recorded figure, sourced on this page.
Control of corruption
42.4 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025. Score from 0 to 100, where 100 is the strongest governance.
Government effectiveness
62.6 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025. Score from 0 to 100, where 100 is the strongest governance.
Rule of law
56.5 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025. Score from 0 to 100, where 100 is the strongest governance.
Political stability
55.0 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025. Score from 0 to 100, where 100 is the strongest governance.
Voice and accountability
54.9 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025. Score from 0 to 100, where 100 is the strongest governance.
Environmental Performance Index
22.5 / 100 · 176 of 177
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2026, ranked 176 of 177 countries assessed.
Ecosystem vitality
22.8 / 100 · 171 of 177
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2026, ranked 171 of 177 countries assessed.
Biodiversity and habitat
9.1 / 100 · 174 of 177
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2026, ranked 174 of 177 countries assessed.
Air quality
7.9 / 100 · 175 of 177
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2026, ranked 175 of 177 countries assessed.
Terrestrial biomes protected
1.1 / 100 · 176 of 177
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2026, ranked 176 of 177 countries assessed.
Marine habitat protected
9.5 / 100 · 79 of 111
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2026, ranked 79 of 111 countries assessed.
Where the numbers come from.
The institutions above are the ones cited on this page, ranked by how many of its figures they carry. This same sectioned page renders for all 77 scored destinations, each with its own researched history, comparison charts and three-way future. Read the full methodology
Every figure on this page, and where it came from: 84 sources across 29 institutions
World Bank18 FIGURES
Forest area (% of land area, AG.LND.FRST.ZS), 2023, with Forest Survey of India ISFR 2023 for context. check
Terrestrial protected areas (% of land area, ER.LND.PTLD.ZS), 2024. check
Marine protected areas (% of territorial waters, ER.MRN.PTMR.ZS), 2021. check
Threatened species (mammals EN.MAM.THRD.NO, birds EN.BIR.THRD.NO, fish EN.FSH.THRD.NO, higher plants EN.HPT.THRD.NO), 2022 check
Renewable electricity output (% of total) EG.ELC.RNEW.ZS, 2021 check
CO2 emissions per capita EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5, 2024 check
Forest and Climate Change, single use plastics ban notification, 2022. check
Forest and Climate Change, "India's Wildlife Conservation Milestones" (Press Information Bureau, 3 March 2025), India is one of the most wildlife rich countries on earth, the only home of the wild Asiatic lion in Gir, stro check
Forest and Climate Change, "India's Wildlife Conservation Milestones" (Press Information Bureau, 3 March 2025) corroboration check
Forest and Climate Change, "India's Wildlife Conservation Milestones" (Press Information Bureau, 3 March 2025) corroboration check
Forest and Climate Change, "India's Wildlife Conservation Milestones" (Press Information Bureau, 3 March 2025) corroboration check
Forest and Climate Change, "India's Wildlife Conservation Milestones" (Press Information Bureau, 3 March 2025) corroboration check
Forest and Climate Change, "India's Wildlife Conservation Milestones" (Press Information Bureau, 3 March 2025) corroboration check
Forest and Climate Change, "India's Wildlife Conservation Milestones" (Press Information Bureau, 3 March 2025) corroboration check
Forest and Climate Change, "Single Use Plastic Items Prohibited With Effect From 1st July 2022" (Press Information Bureau), Identified single use plastics were banned nationwide in July 2022, but enforcement is uneven and litter is he check
Forest and Climate Change, "Single Use Plastic Items Prohibited With Effect From 1st July 2022" (Press Information Bureau) corroboration check
FAO6 FIGURES
FAOSTAT Food Balances (bulk data, 2023 values), India has perhaps the world's deepest plant based food culture, built on rice, wheat rotis, dal, chickpeas and check
FAOSTAT Crops and Livestock Products (bulk data, India, 2024) corroboration check
FAOSTAT Crops and Livestock Products (bulk data, India, 2024) corroboration check
Ministry of Textiles6 FIGURES
Office of the Development Commissioner (Handlooms), "Brief on Handloom Sector: Handloom Census 2019-20", India holds one of the world's richest living textile traditions, from handspun khadi cotton and handloom weav check
Office of the Development Commissioner (Handlooms), "Brief on Handloom Sector: Handloom Census 2019-20" corroboration check
Office of the Development Commissioner (Handlooms), "Brief on Handloom Sector: Handloom Census 2019-20" corroboration check
Office of the Development Commissioner (Handlooms), "Brief on Handloom Sector: Handloom Census 2019-20" corroboration check
Office of the Development Commissioner (Handlooms), "Brief on Handloom Sector: Handloom Census 2019-20" corroboration check
Office of the Development Commissioner (Handlooms), "Brief on Handloom Sector: Handloom Census 2019-20" corroboration check
Ministry of Jal Shakti5 FIGURES
"NITI Aayog Report on Water Crisis" (Press Information Bureau, Rajya Sabha reply), India draws on Himalayan rivers and the monsoon but faces severe water stress and some of the world's fastest check
"NITI Aayog Report on Water Crisis" (Press Information Bureau, Rajya Sabha reply) corroboration check
"NITI Aayog Report on Water Crisis" (Press Information Bureau, Rajya Sabha reply) corroboration check
"NITI Aayog Report on Water Crisis" (Press Information Bureau, Rajya Sabha reply) corroboration check
"NITI Aayog Report on Water Crisis" (Press Information Bureau, Rajya Sabha reply) corroboration check
National Tiger Conservation Authority4 FIGURES
Comprehensive Guidelines for Tiger Conservation and Tourism (Gazette of India notification), India's tiger reserves enforce staying inside the safari vehicle, keeping a minimum of 20 m from wildlife and check
Comprehensive Guidelines for Tiger Conservation and Tourism (Gazette of India notification) corroboration check
Comprehensive Guidelines for Tiger Conservation and Tourism (Gazette of India notification) corroboration check
Comprehensive Guidelines for Tiger Conservation and Tourism (Gazette of India notification) corroboration check
UNESCO Institute for Statistics4 FIGURES
public data API (indicator XGDP.FSGOV, India), Public spending on education runs at 4.1% of GDP and 14.2% of all government spending, and secondary enrolment check
public data API (indicator XGDP.FSGOV, India) corroboration check
public data API (indicator XGDP.FSGOV, India) corroboration check
public data API (indicator XGDP.FSGOV, India) corroboration check
BirdLife International, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC3 FIGURES
UN SDG Global Database, terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas covered by protected areas (%) ER_PTD_TERR, India, 2025 (9.7%), country-reported check
UN SDG Global Database, marine Key Biodiversity Areas covered by protected areas (%) ER_MRN_MPA, India, 2025 (8.5%), country-reported check
UN SDG Global Database, freshwater Key Biodiversity Areas covered by protected areas (%) ER_PTD_FRHWTR, India, 2025 (16.3%), country-reported check
FAO, Global Forest Resources Assessment3 FIGURES
UN SDG Global Database, forest area (% of land area) AG_LND_FRST, India, 2025 (24.5%), country-reported check
UN SDG Global Database, forest area under a long-term management plan (%) AG_LND_FRSTMGT, India, 2025 (74.8%), country-reported check
UN SDG Global Database, forest area inside legally established protected areas (%) AG_LND_FRSTPRCT, India, 2025 (18.4%), country-reported check
Other published sources3 FIGURES
17.1% in 2024 and 13.2% in 2025 (US$58.62bn of US$445.77bn); still the largest single export check
Greenpeace India press release on the 6th Annual World Air Quality Report (19 March 2024), India has some of the world's worst air, with a national PM2.5 annual mean around 54 micrograms per cubic metr check
Greenpeace India press release on the 6th Annual World Air Quality Report (19 March 2024) corroboration check
Ministry of Railways2 FIGURES
"From Steam to Speed: The Ever-Evolving Journey of Railways" (Press Information Bureau backgrounder), One of the world's largest railway networks, plus buses, autorickshaws and domestic flights check
"From Steam to Speed: The Ever-Evolving Journey of Railways" (Press Information Bureau backgrounder) corroboration check
Sangeet Natak Akademi (India's National Academy of Music2 FIGURES
Dance and Drama, Ministry of Culture), Akademi Awards announcement for 2019, 2020 and 2021, India holds one of the world's deepest living heritages, with eight recognised classical dance forms including check
Dance and Drama, Ministry of Culture), Akademi Awards announcement for 2019, 2020 and 2021 corroboration check
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme2 FIGURES
UN SDG Global Database, population using safely managed drinking water (%) SH_H2O_SAFE, India, 2024 (76.4%), modelled estimate check
UN SDG Global Database, population using safely managed sanitation (%) SH_SAN_SAFE, India, 2024 (62.8%), modelled estimate check
891 lions across about 351 FIGURE
000 sq km in 11 Saurashtra districts, May 2025 estimate; most live outside the Gir protected areas check
Sri LankaScored on the same twelve pillars as India.65
ThailandScored on the same twelve pillars as India.62
LaosScored on the same twelve pillars as India.63
MongoliaScored on the same twelve pillars as India.58
JordanScored on the same twelve pillars as India.50
MaldivesScored on the same twelve pillars as India.47
