According to data from Global Forest Watch, India experienced an increase in primary forest loss in 2024, with 18,200 hectares lost compared to 17,700 hectares in 2023. This data is the result of a global collaboration of over 100 organizations, including the University of Maryland.

Since 2001, India has lost 2.31 million hectares of tree cover, representing a 7.1% decrease. This deforestation has resulted in 1.29 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions.

Humid primary forest loss between 2002 and 2024 amounted to 348,000 hectares (5.4%), constituting 15% of India's total tree cover loss during this period. The data also shows that India lost 16,900 hectares of humid primary forest in 2022, 18,300 hectares in 2021, 17,000 hectares in 2020, and 14,500 hectares in 2019.

Primary forests are defined as mature natural humid tropical forest cover that has not been completely cleared and regrown recently. Global Forest Watch researchers classify Landsat satellite images into primary forest data, utilizing a specific algorithm for each region.