Published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, the researchers suggested a strong correlation between the two though they said that social factors may also play a role.
The team looked at how many deaths there were in each locality in excess of the national average then cross-checked it with a range of pollutant levels, including engine exhaust emissions.
They found out that 386,374 died of pneumonia but they say that more research is still needed to rule out that air pollution due to exhaust fumes increase deaths from pneumonia.
Professor George Knox, who wrote the report said, "High mortality rates were observed in areas with elevated ambient pollution levels. The strongest single effect was an increase in pneumonia deaths."
The team estimated that the excess number of deaths annually or those that can be attributed to the pollution - could approach those of the 1952 London smog, which killed 4,000 people.
But lung specialist said that more detailed research is still needed to clear the link between pneumonia and exhaust fumes.
