India's approach to climate change has evolved significantly since the optimism of COP 26 in 2021, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced India's ambitious goal to neutralise greenhouse gas emissions by 2070. According to reports from Business Standard, India has since skipped major climate summits, including COP 29 in Baku and COP 30 in Brazil, with unclear representation planned for COP 31 in Türkiye. India was the last among major emitters to submit its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), with the latest commitment covering the period 2031-2035. The country has also backed out of hosting COP 33 in 2028, with China and South Korea now taking the hosting responsibilities.
India's GHG emissions from energy use grew by 3.2% in 2025, making it the highest growth rate among the world's three biggest polluters - China, the US, and India. As reported by Business Standard, India accounted for around 8% of the world's 40 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions in 2025. However, the growth rate was lower than the 10.3% increase in 2024, with the decline attributed to lower temperatures reducing electricity demand. Despite this growth, India's emissions intensity is decreasing, with the country achieving non-fossil fuel capacity of more than 50% of its 550-GW total capacity - five years ahead of its target. China, with its $21 trillion economy, remains the largest emitter at 30% of global emissions despite only 1.1% growth.
India's behind-the-meter solar capacity increased by 40% year-on-year to reach 43.6 GW in 2025, marking the largest increase outside China. According to Business Standard, this led to a 3% fall in coal generation and 15% fall in gas generation. However, coal remains the main energy source at 59%, followed by oil at 28%, with coal capacity projected to reach 307 GW by fiscal 2034-35. The country's demand for clean energy is growing at around 6.4% annually, one of the fastest rates globally, creating challenges in deploying renewables fast enough to meet demand growth.
India's clean energy progress faces significant financing challenges, with experts highlighting developed nations' failure to provide the promised $300 billion annually in climate finance. As reported by Business Standard, industry leaders emphasize that India has delivered on domestic commitments while awaiting international support. Sumant Sinha, founder of ReNew, noted that "India's position has not shifted — the world's attention has," while Vineet Mittal of Avaada group stressed that India's hosting decisions should not be confused with weakening domestic commitment. The global climate order faces strain, with the US exit from the Paris Agreement removing crucial finance and leadership at a critical time.
Industry experts project that India's emissions will continue growing to 2030 due to rapid industrialization and energy demand growth. According to Business Standard, Sanjeev Aggarwal of Hexa Climate emphasized that "there is no magic bullet to slash emissions" and that "development versus sustainability" framing is not the appropriate lens. Rajesh Jha of ABB India noted that coal currently functions as a buffer while renewable and grid infrastructure catch up. The question before developing countries remains how to balance affordable clean energy integration with fossil fuels to power development while safeguarding the environment, with the answer tied to securing adequate finance and technology commitments.
