India has restored 21.76 million hectares of degraded and deforested land between 2011 and 2020, reaching nearly 84 per cent of its Bonn Challenge target of restoring 26 million hectares by 2030. This was revealed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) report titled India's Second Progress Report on Bonn Challenge: 2011-2020. According to the report, Telangana restored the largest area of land among all states. It was followed by Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha.

The Bonn Challenge is a global initiative launched in 2011 to restore degraded and deforested landscapes across the world. The initiative aims to bring 350 million hectares of land under restoration by 2030. It had already crossed the milestone of securing restoration pledges for 150 million hectares in 2017. The IUCN report was released during an event held to mark the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 2026.

Speaking at the event, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav highlighted India's efforts towards environmental restoration and sustainable development. He said that the country's approach shows how strong policy support, scientific innovation, and public participation can work together to make environmental restoration a successful path towards sustainable development.

Announcing India's progress under the Bonn Challenge, Yadav said the country has already restored 21.76 million hectares of land against its target of 26 million hectares by 2030. He added that India has continuously promoted sustainable land management as a Party to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

The minister also recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced India's commitment to restore 26 million hectares of degraded and deforested land by 2030. He noted that this is one of the largest land restoration commitments made by any country in the world.

Highlighting the wider benefits of restoration activities, Yadav said, "Restoration activities have generated around 1.22 billion person-days of employment." He also shared details of other government initiatives supporting land restoration and natural resource management.

According to the minister, more than 27 million hectares of land have been treated under the Watershed Development Component of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana. He further stated that over 61.3 million geo-tagged natural resource management assets have been created across the country.

The findings of the IUCN report indicate that India is making steady progress towards its Bonn Challenge commitment. With nearly 84 per cent of the target already achieved, the country has moved significantly closer to its 2030 goal while also creating employment opportunities and strengthening sustainable land management practices.