India has achieved significant progress in tuberculosis elimination efforts, as documented in the WHO Global Tuberculosis Report 2026 released on 12th November 2026. The country recorded a 38% reduction in TB mortality since 2015, outperforming the global decline of 35%, with the mortality rate decreasing from 28 per lakh population in 2015 to 18 per lakh population in 2025. India also achieved a 94% treatment success rate among patients with drug-susceptible TB, demonstrating the effectiveness of its patient-centered approach.
The TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, launched under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, has been instrumental in this progress. Between 7 December 2024 and 8th November 2026, the program screened over 25 crore people across 347 high-priority districts in 33 States and Union Territories, with subsequent expansion nationwide. The initiative conducted more than 11 crore chest X-rays and over 3 crore nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT), leading to the identification of 48.64 lakh new TB cases, including 14.97 lakh asymptomatic cases that might otherwise have remained undiagnosed.
Technological innovation has been a key driver, with deployment of portable AI-enabled digital X-rays, rapid molecular diagnostics, and the Ni-kshay digital platform for patient tracking and treatment monitoring. The program integrated TB screening with identification and management of diabetes, undernutrition, and other comorbidities for comprehensive care.
Nutritional support remains a cornerstone of India's TB response through the Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana, which provides financial assistance for nutritional requirements, and the Ni-kshay Mitra initiative that mobilizes individuals and organizations to provide nutritional and psychosocial support. The program is predominantly domestically funded, with 96% of requirements met through Indian resources.
Community engagement has been extensive through Panchayati Raj Institutions, urban local bodies, civil society organizations, and the newly formed JOSH Teams initiative that brings youth participation through NCC cadets and MY Bharat volunteers at block and ward levels. As a result of these efforts, 67,933 Panchayats were declared TB Free in 2025.
The WHO report incorporated evidence from multiple sources including the Registrar General of India's Sample Registration System, community-based verbal autopsy assessments, and programme data from the Ni-kshay portal. The Indian Council of Medical Research–National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis conducted a nationally representative TB prevalence survey in 2025, which has been shared with WHO for technical discussions ahead of an updated country profile.