India has highlighted its progress in forest and landscape restoration while reaffirming its commitment to sustainable forest management, climate action and the development of resilient forest ecosystems at the 28th Session of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Committee on Forestry (COFO 28).
The session, being held in Rome from September 28 to October 2, brings together countries to discuss key issues related to forestry, restoration, climate resilience and sustainable management of forest resources. During its statement, India welcomed the FAO’s emphasis on Forest and Landscape Restoration and stressed that sustainable forest management can provide an integrated approach to restoring landscapes while taking into account national priorities and the requirements of local communities.
India presented its progress in expanding and conserving forest resources. According to the figures highlighted at the session, the country’s combined forest and tree cover has reached 82.74 million hectares, accounting for 25.17% of India’s geographical area. The country has also strengthened its position in global forestry, with the FAO Global Forest Resources Assessment 2025 placing India ninth worldwide in terms of forest area and third in terms of net annual forest area gain.
Forests and trees are also an important component of India’s climate strategy. India has created an additional carbon sink equivalent to 2.29 billion tonnes of CO₂ as of 2021. The country has further increased its target of creating an additional carbon sink of 3.5–4.0 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent by 2035, compared with 2005 levels.
India also outlined its efforts under the Bonn Challenge, through which it has committed to restoring 26 million hectares of degraded and deforested land by 2030. So far, approximately 21.76 million hectares have been brought under restoration, reflecting the scale of ongoing landscape-level interventions.
Several major restoration programmes were also highlighted during the session. Under the Aravalli Green Wall initiative, around 6.45 million hectares of degraded land have been identified for restoration. The initiative seeks to strengthen ecological conditions across the Aravalli landscape through restoration and improved green cover.
India also drew attention to MISHTI, an initiative focused on mangrove restoration in coastal areas. Mangroves play an important role in protecting coastal ecosystems, supporting biodiversity and strengthening resilience against climate-related risks. Their restoration can also contribute to the livelihoods of communities dependent on coastal resources.
The country further noted that the number of Ramsar Sites in India has risen to 101, underscoring the growing recognition of wetlands and their ecological importance.
Another major initiative showcased was Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam – Plant4Mother, a nationwide plantation campaign based on a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach. More than 3.5 billion saplings have been planted under the initiative, reflecting large-scale public participation in increasing green cover.
India stressed that international cooperation on forest restoration should move beyond broad commitments and focus on country-led implementation, capacity building, technology transfer and measurable outcomes. It also called for stronger and more predictable financing, particularly for developing countries, to enable long-term restoration and climate-related action.
The country encouraged the FAO to strengthen support for accessing climate finance, biodiversity finance and blended financial mechanisms. India also advocated greater coordination between FAO’s forestry programmes, the Global Forest Goals and other international forest-related processes.
India further called for expanded South-South and triangular cooperation to facilitate the exchange of knowledge, successful practices and scalable restoration solutions among countries.
Reaffirming its commitment to multilateral cooperation, India said it would work with FAO and other Member States on the proposed UN Decade for Afforestation and Reforestation, 2027–2036. India emphasised that the initiative should be aligned with sustainable forest management and help create a continuous pathway from restoring degraded ecosystems to developing resilient, productive and inclusive forest landscapes.
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Author: Shivam
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