India, China make up 52% of early deaths due to air pollution

India is close to displacing China as the nation where most people die of air pollution

India and China account for more than half of the world's premature deaths due to air pollution, a new report on Tuesday said.

Noting that India's lives lost to the tiny particulate matter (PM) is "approaching" China's numbers, the 'State of Global Air 2017' report said that among the 10 most populous countries and the European Union (EU), Bangladesh and India have the highest exposure to PM2.5, the "steepest" rise since 2010.

Globally, there was 60 per cent rise in ozone-attributable deaths, with 67 per cent of this increase occurring in India, it said. The 'State of Global Air 2017'