A recent study highlighted that over 7% of deaths in India’s largest cities, including Delhi and Mumbai, are linked to air pollution, particularly PM2.5 pollutants. Conducted from 2008 to 2019, the study estimated over 33,000 annual deaths attributable to PM2.5 levels exceeding WHO guidelines. Delhi recorded the highest toll, with 12,000 deaths annually. Even cities with perceived lower pollution levels showed significant impacts. Researchers urge India to tighten its air quality standards, currently four times higher than WHO recommendations, to potentially save tens of thousands of lives annually from diseases like heart disease and lung cancer exacerbated by air pollution.