India's Universal Immunisation Programme Achieves Key Milestones by 2026

India's Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) has achieved significant milestones, including eradicating smallpox, polio, and maternal-neonatal tetanus. The programme now reaches 2.9 crore pregnant women and 2.54 crore newborns annually, with full immunisation coverage rising from 62% in 2015 to 98.4% in January 2026. Recent additions include HPV and indigenous Td vaccines, with a nationwide HPV campaign launched in February 2026 targeting 14-year-old girls. The UIP benefits from extensive healthcare infrastructure and a large vaccine cold chain network.