India's excess deaths during pandemic up to 4.9 million, study shows

FILE PHOTO: Relatives cremate the bodies of persons who died due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at a crematorium ground in Giddenahalli village on the outskirts of Bengaluru, India, May 2, 2021. REUTERS/Samuel Rajkumar

(Reuters) - India's excess deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic could be as high as 4.9 million, according to a new study that provides further evidence that millions more may have died from coronavirus than the official tally.

The report by the Washington-based Center for Global Development, co-authored by India's former chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian, included deaths from all causes since the pandemic's start through June 2021.