Pollution likely to cut 9 years of life expectancy of 40% of Indians

New Delhi was the world's most polluted capital three years in a row

A man walks along a road on a smoggy morning in New Delhi, India, December 2020. Picture: REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis

Air pollution is likely to reduce the life expectancy of about 40% of Indians by more than nine years, according to a report released by a U.S. research group on Wednesday.

More than 480 million people living in the vast swathes of central, eastern and northern India, including the capital, New Delhi, endure significantly high pollution levels, said the report prepared by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC).