The estimated number of HIV infections in India for the year 2004 stood at 5.134 million up from 5.106 million in 2003. In terms of prevalence percentage, India continues to stand next to South Africa, which has 5.3 million HIV infections, as per these estimates.

In comparison to 2003 estimates, there has been an additional 28,000 infections in 2004 as compared to 5.2 lakh additional infections in 2003.

There are sub-national epidemics in various parts of the country with evidence of high prevalence of HIV among both STD clinic attendees and antenatal clinic attendees. The HIV prevalence has seen a significantly increasing trend among STD clinic attendees in 16 sites and among antenatal clinic attendees in 7 sites located in states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Pondicherry, Assam, Bihar, Chattisgarh, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Orissa, Goa and Manipur etc.

India remains a low prevalence country with overall HIV prevalence of 0.91 per cent, ie, less than one per cent of the population.

As regards the estimation process, the National AIDS Control Organisation involved two independent institutions, Institute of Research in Medical Statistics (IRMS), New Delhi and National Institute of Health and Family Welfare (NIHFW), New Delhi. To ensure independence and objectivity, the whole exercise has been done as per laid down procedure and guidelines of WHO and UNAIDS.

These estimates could be achieved after a series of efforts ensuring independent assessment. Preliminary analysis of the data is carried out independently at IRMS and NIHFW, to minimize the error. ICMR convened a series of meetings with a group of experts consisting of eminent Epidemiologists, Biostatisticians, Demographers and experts from international organizations such as WHO, UNAIDS etc. A core committee set by director general, ICMR reviewed them in details before finalisation of estimates.