<p>Head and neck cancer is a leading cancer globally and in India, with prevalence and incidence steadily rising despite efforts by health agencies. Besides genetic factors and HPV, tobacco and alcohol remain the primary risk factors. GLOBOCAN is an international database, while NCRP is an Indian registry that track prevalence and incidence trends of head and neck cancers. The present study aimed to analyze data from GLOBOCAN 2022 and NCRP 2020 to assess the role of tobacco and alcohol as risk factors for head and neck cancer. We extracted data from two sources: GLOBOCAN 2022 and NCRP 2020. GLOBOCAN 2022 provided information on alcohol-related head and neck cancers, while NCRP 2020 included data on tobacco. The compiled data were organized into tables and analyzed accordingly. NCRP data on 105,600 tobacco-related cancers show the mouth (23.5%) and tongue (15.3%) as the most common sites, with males bearing 75.8% of the burden and distinct gender differences in site distribution. Regional analysis of 70,486 tobacco-associated cases highlights mouth and tongue cancers as predominant nationwide, with Central and East India showing the highest oral cancer rates, and hypopharyngeal cancers concentrated notably in the North East (37.3%), reflecting significant regional variation. According to GLOBOCAN 2022, alcohol-attributable cancers in India are primarily in the oral cavity, comprising 68.0% of cases, with a higher prevalence in females (74.5%) than males (67.6%). Pharynx and larynx cancers account for 21.4% and 10.6%, respectively. Tobacco and alcohol remain the dominant risk factors driving the high burden of head and neck cancers in India, with distinct regional and gender-specific patterns. Targeted prevention and control strategies focusing on these factors are essential to curb the rising incidence.</p>