The Government of India has played a central and evolving role in the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS through a combination of policy initiatives, institutional mechanisms, public health programmes, and community-based interventions. Recognizing the seriousness of the epidemic in the late 1980s, the government established a dedicated institutional framework under the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) in 1992 to coordinate nationwide efforts. Since then, the country has implemented a series of National AIDS Control Programmes (NACP) with clearly defined objectives, reflecting a shift from awareness generation to prevention, treatment, care, and social support. The primary objective of the government’s HIV/AIDS control strategy has been to reduce new infections and provide comprehensive care and support to people living with HIV (PLHIV). Early programmes such as NACP Phase I (1992–1999) focused on establishing surveillance systems, improving blood safety, and creating awareness about HIV transmission. During this phase, the government prioritized screening of blood in hospitals, promoting safe transfusion practices, and initiating public education campaigns to reduce stigma and misinformation. NACP Phase II (1999–2006) expanded these efforts by emphasizing behavior change communication and targeted interventions among high-risk groups such as commercial sex workers, intravenous drug users, and men who have sex with men. The government recognized that generalized awareness alone was insufficient and introduced focused interventions to address the specific vulnerabilities of these populations. The programme also strengthened infrastructure by setting up State AIDS Control Societies (SACS) to decentralize implementation and ensure region-specific planning. A significant shift occurred during NACP Phase III (2007–2012), where the emphasis moved towards scaling up prevention, care, and treatment services. One of the major objectives during this phase was to halt and reverse the