According to USDA-FAS GAIN report IN2021-0020 released February 3rd 2021, highly pathogenic avian influenza has been confirmed in nine states in commercial poultry and in wild migratory and non-migratory birds in twelve states.

Individual states and the Government of India are addressing the issue by attempting flock depletion followed by decontamination.  In accordance with National Bird Flu Disease Control Program, some farmers are receiving compensation when flocks are culled.  The Government imposes a 0.6-mile radius for control from an affected farm.

As with previous outbreaks of avian influenza in India, fear of infection results in a precipitous drop in both consumption and prices of eggs and poultry meat, imposing an additional burden on farmers. 

At the poultry industry in India is characterized by the development of "poultry belts" adjacent to major cities.  This facilitates delivery of feed from central mills and also purchase of eggs and live birds by middlemen in the supply chain from farmer to consumer.  Numerous small farms in close proximity, all with inadequate biosecurity contribute to dissemination of virus presumably introduced by migratory birds.  The process of culling affected flocks is justified in nations where a spontaneous and limited outbreak occurs as an exotic disease.  Attempting to stamp out avian influenza in areas of concentrated poultry when the infection can be regarded as endemic is a waste of time and resources.  If India wishes to save its poultry industry, vaccination appears to be the most appropriate strategy.  This was successfully applied in Mexico in states with dense egg-production populations infected with H5N2 HPAI in 1994.