The minimum land area recommended for forest cover to maintain proper ecological balance in India is

The National Forest Policy of India (1952) explicitly recommends that about one-third of the country's geographical area — roughly 33% — should remain under forest to maintain ecological balance; it further suggests differentiated targets of about 25% for plains and 60% for hilly regions [1]. Contemporary data show that actual forest area remains well below this target, at roughly 21–22% of the geographical area, underscoring the shortfall between policy goals and current status [2]. Thus, the minimum recommended land area for forest cover to maintain proper ecological balance in India is 33%.

Sources

1. [1] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation and National Parks > 1. Low Forest cover > p. 28
2. [2] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation and National Parks > SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF FORESTS IN INDIA > p. 6