India Ranks Third Globally in Organ Transplants as Donation Pledges Cross Five Lakh

India has crossed five lakh Aadhaar-verified organ-donation pledges within three years of launching its national digital pledge portal in 2023. The milestone reflects growing public awareness and participation in the country’s organ-donation programme.

India now ranks as the third-largest country globally in the number of organ transplants, after the United States and China. Annual transplant procedures have increased to more than 20,000, compared with fewer than 5,000 around 12 years ago.

The Government is strengthening the transplantation ecosystem through the National Organ Transplant Programme. Support includes upgrading hospital infrastructure, appointing transplant coordinators, training healthcare professionals and improving the safe and timely transportation of donated organs.

Financial assistance is also available to eligible economically weaker patients under the Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi, helping improve access to costly transplant procedures.

At the 16th Indian Organ Donation Day programme in New Delhi, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel launched the year-long Jug Jug Jiyo campaign. The initiative will honour organ donors and their families while encouraging more citizens to pledge their organs.

The Government also introduced e-Pratyaropan, a next-generation national digital platform for organ and tissue donation and transplantation. It is intended to improve transparency, coordination, allocation and efficiency across hospitals and transplant organisations.

Although five lakh pledges represent an important achievement, deceased-organ donation remains limited compared with the country’s medical requirements. Greater family awareness, timely identification of potential donors and stronger hospital coordination will be essential for converting registered pledges into life-saving transplants.

Reference

India Brand Equity Foundation. “India Surpasses 5 Lakh Aadhaar-Verified Organ Donation Pledges, Ranks Third Globally in Organ Transplants.” August 2026.

Press Information Bureau, Government of India. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare releases on organ donation, transplantation and the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation.