India saw a seven per cent decline in PM2.5 levels in 2024, but six of the world’s ten most polluted cities were still in the country, according to the IQAir 2024 World Air Quality Report. India’s annual PM2.5 average fell to 50.6 ug/m3 from 54.4 ug/m3 in 2023, yet it remained the fifth most polluted country globally.
New Delhi continued to record extreme pollution, with an annual PM2.5 average of 91.6 ug/ m3 in 2024, almost unchanged from 92.7 ug/m3 in 2023. Severe pollution episodes persisted, especially in northern states, with Baddi in Himachal Pradesh recording a January PM2.5 average of 165 ug/m3 (2024).
October saw air quality worsen in Manipur, while November witnessed extreme pollution in Delhi, Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh, mainly due to stubble burning, which contributed 60 per cent of PM2.5 levels during peak periods. “Air pollution remains a significant health burden in India, reducing life expectancy by an estimated 5.2 years.