The Congress party on Sunday described India’s escalating air pollution crisis as a “full-blown assault” on the nation’s brains and bodies, transcending respiratory concerns to become a profound public health catastrophe and national security threat. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh highlighted the State of Global Air 2025 report, which attributes nearly 2 million deaths in India in 2023 to air pollution—a 43% increase since 2000—with 90% linked to non-communicable diseases including heart disease, lung cancer, diabetes, and dementia. He warned that prolonged exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is now scientifically tied to irreversible brain damage and cognitive decline, with 626,000 global dementia deaths in 2023 directly associated with polluted air.

India records 186 air-pollution-related deaths per 100,000 people—over ten times the rate in high-income nations—while contributing to 70% of COPD fatalities, 33% of lung cancer deaths, 25% of heart disease mortality, and 20% of diabetes cases domestically. Ramesh criticised the government’s inaction, noting that current PM2.5 standards are eight times higher than World Health Organization annual guidelines and four times higher for 24-hour exposure. Despite the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) launched in 2017, PM2.5 levels continue rising, leaving every Indian in areas exceeding WHO limits.

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The opposition leader demanded an urgent, radical overhaul of the NCAP and a comprehensive update to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), unchanged since November 2009. He accused the administration of relying on “half-measures” amid a crisis that undermines public health, strains healthcare infrastructure, and erodes the productivity of India’s future workforce. Ramesh framed air pollution as a systemic failure requiring immediate, science-driven policy intervention rather than incremental adjustments.

As northern India braces for another toxic winter, with cities like Delhi routinely topping global pollution charts, the Congress statement amplifies calls for cross-party action. Environmental experts echo the urgency, advocating stricter industrial emissions controls, expanded green corridors, and incentives for electric mobility. With air quality directly impacting economic output—estimated losses exceed $36 billion annually—the issue has evolved into a pressing governance challenge demanding accountability and decisive reform.

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