India discarded over 17.4 lakh blood components in 2025, even as blood collection reached a record 1.58 crore units , according to state-wise data tabled in the Rajya Sabha, highlighting ongoing challenges in blood inventory management. Data reported through the government’s e-Raktakosh portal showed that expiry was the leading cause of discard, followed by reactive units and other operational reasons. Reason-wise discard data has been captured since 2024, while such details were not available for 2023.

India remains among the world’s largest blood collection programs, with 15.71 million units collected in 2025 , compared to 25.5 million units in China , as per official data. According to the health ministry, no reports of regional blood shortages were received. It stated that ensuring adequate supply and minimizing wastage is primarily the responsibility of states and Union…