Several rounds of national health surveys have generated a vast amount of data in India since 1992. We describe and compare the key health information gathered, assess the availability of health data in the public domain, and review publications resulting from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS), the District Level Household Survey (DLHS) and the Annual Health Survey (AHS).

Analysis of the scope and quality of evaluations of health system/policy interventions done in India is not available. Such analysis can help in conducting more useful evaluations. The authors accessed evaluation reports of health system/policy interventions aimed at improving population health in India, reported during 2001-08, which were available in the public domain through extensive internet searches.

Well planned health research is fundamental to the improvement of health in all countries. Relevant health research has contributed to a doubling of life expectancy in India over the past 60 years since independence. However, India still has the largest disease burden of any country, the mitigation of which will require existing gaps in health research to be addressed.