India's new NDCs must take private sector along

As governments around the world update their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) on climate action, there is a significant opportunity for the India's government and its private sector to raise ambition and accelerate implementation together.

- Andrew Prag RR Rashmi

From the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) in 2008 to the NDC in 2015 and its update in 2022, India has steadily signalled its commitment to play a leading role in addressing the climate crisis. Its 2035 NDC goals, expected to be announced in the run-up to COP30 in Brazil, can signal a new approach — one that places businesses and the private sector at the centre of India's climate journey.

India's first NDC in 2015 formalised its climate goals in the global arena, with a commitment to reduce emissions intensity by 33-35% by 2030 and achieve 40% of power capacity from non-fossil sources. The subsequent NDC (2022) raised the pledge to reduce emissions intensity by 45% and create 50% cumulative generation capacity from renewables. India also declared a net zero target year of 2070.

India’s official climate strategy was strengthened by a similar movement in the private sector when over 125 Indian companies adopted Science-Based Targets. Many voluntarily set net zero targets ahead of the national 2070 deadline, backed by internal carbon pricing, green finance mechanisms, and renewable energy efforts.

In this context, 2025 offers India a historic opportunity to craft a 2035 roadmap that signals higher ambition based on a strategy that integrates the government's vision with that of the private sector in the areas of energy transition across sectors as well as adaptation and creation of climate-resilient infrastructure.