A recent international study has projected that India will face the second-highest economic burden due to diabetes globally, with an estimated cost of $11.4 trillion between 2020 and 2050. This places India behind only the United States, which is expected to bear the highest burden at $16.5 trillion, and ahead of China at $11 trillion. The study, published in Nature Medicine and involving researchers from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis and the Vienna University of Economics and Business, analyzed the economic impact of diabetes across 204 countries. A significant finding of the research is that informal caregiving provided by family members accounts for nearly 90% of the total economic burden associated with diabetes. This is attributed to the fact that diabetes prevalence significantly exceeds mortality rates. The global economic cost of diabetes, excluding informal care, is estimated at around $10 trillion. However, when informal care is factored in, this figure escalates dramatically to an estimated $152 trillion, or 1.7% of the world's annual GDP. The study highlights that caregivers often have to reduce or leave their labor market participation, leading to additional economic costs. For India and China, the high economic costs are largely attributed to their large affected populations, while the US faces high treatment costs and diversion of physical capital. The researchers emphasize that promoting healthier lifestyles, early detection, and timely treatment are crucial steps to mitigate both the health and economic consequences of diabetes. The article also notes that over a quarter of the world's diabetics are estimated to be living in India, underscoring the scale of the challenge for the nation.