India has recorded a 38 per cent decline in tuberculosis (TB) deaths in 2025 compared to 2015. According to a World Health Organisation (WHO) report, India has surpassed the global average in this regard; globally, TB-related deaths fell by 35 per cent during the same period.
As per the WHO’s Global TB Report 2026, the TB mortality rate in India dropped from 280 per million population in 2015 to 180 in 2025. In 2025, India accounted for 25 per cent of the total TB cases worldwide.
Treatment success rate for TB patients: 94 per cent
Meanwhile, the Union Ministry of Health stated that the decline in TB deaths reflects the effectiveness of India’s efforts against the disease. According to the Ministry, the high treatment success rate of 94 per cent is a testament to a patient-centric approach, improved treatment regimens, and consistent support provided to those affected by TB.
According to the government, more than 250 million (25 crore) people have undergone intensive screening under the Centre’s ‘TB-Mukt Bharat Abhiyan’ (TB-Free India Campaign). Additionally, over 110 million (11 crore) chest X-rays were conducted to strengthen early detection.
The Ministry reported that 4.864 million (48.64 lakh) new TB cases were identified under this campaign, including 1.497 million (14.97 lakh) cases where the patients were asymptomatic (did not exhibit symptoms of the disease). According to a World Health Organisation (WHO) report, Indonesia accounts for 10 per cent of global tuberculosis (TB) cases, followed by the Philippines (6.8%), China (6.5%), Pakistan (6.4%), Nigeria (4.9%), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (3.9%), and Bangladesh (3.7%). The WHO noted that the majority of people affected by TB reside in 30 “high-burden” countries.
India is also among the four countries that accounted for more than half of the world’s multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) cases. However, both the WHO and the Government of India have confirmed that the rate of MDR-TB cases in the country is gradually declining.
The WHO stated that the review of India’s TB situation and the updating of data will be conducted following an analysis of information from District-Level Sentinel Surveillance (DLSS). This process is being carried out in collaboration with India’s Central TB Division and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
According to the organisation, once this process is complete, estimates regarding TB infection trends are expected to be updated by early 2027. Following this, a revised country profile for India will be released.
