India tops global TB burden in 2024 despite lower incidence: WHO report

India made strong gains in TB reduction, cutting incidence by 21% since 2015, but still accounted for 25% of global cases in 2024, according to the WHO's Global TB Report 2025

India accounted for a quarter of the world’s tuberculosis (TB) cases in 2024, topping the list of countries with the highest TB burden, according to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Global TB Report 2025.

 

Global share and rankings 

The report said eight countries contributed 67 per cent of global TB cases, led by India (25%), followed by Indonesia (10%), the Philippines (6.8%), China (6.5%), Pakistan (6.3%), Nigeria (4.8%), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (3.9%), and Bangladesh (3.6%).

 

India’s TB incidence rate was estimated at 187 cases per 100,000 people, improving from 195 per 100,000 in 2023. However, it remains short of the government’s TB elimination target of 44 cases per 100,000 by 2025, an 80 per cent reduction from 2015 levels. 

 

 

Government response 

Reacting to the report, the Union Health Ministry said India’s TB incidence had declined 21 per cent since 2015, nearly double the global reduction rate of 12 per cent.

 

“India’s innovative case-finding approach, supported by newer technologies, decentralised services and large-scale community mobilisation, has led treatment coverage to surge from 53 per cent in 2015 to over 92 per cent in 2024,” the ministry said.

 

Over 2.61 million TB patients were diagnosed in 2024, out of an estimated 2.7 million cases, sharply reducing “missing” cases.

 

Drug resistance and mortality 

The report also noted that India still accounted for 32 per cent of global multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB cases in 2024. However, both WHO and the ministry confirmed that MDR TB incidence has been gradually declining.

 

People with MDR or rifampicin-resistant TB represented 3.2 per cent of the total TB burden last year.

 

India’s TB mortality rate fell from 28 deaths per 100,000 in 2015 to 21 per 100,000 in 2024, reflecting substantial progress though still below the target of 3 deaths per 100,000.

 

The road ahead 

The ministry said it would continue proactive screening of vulnerable populations, including asymptomatic individuals and those in high-risk congregate settings, and expand upfront molecular diagnostics for early detection.

 

“This integrated approach will further reduce TB incidence and mortality, bringing the country closer to the goal of a TB-Mukt Bharat,” the ministry added.