India’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution

India’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) represents its comprehensive climate action plan submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in October 2015, ahead of the Paris Climate Conference (COP21). The INDC outlines India’s strategies and commitments to address climate change mitigation, adaptation, and finance in alignment with the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR).
As a rapidly developing nation with growing energy needs, India’s INDC reflects its dual approach — pursuing sustainable development and poverty eradication, while contributing to global climate mitigation efforts.

Background and Context

The concept of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) emerged from the Paris Agreement (2015), under which each country voluntarily commits to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and enhancing adaptive capacities. Before the Paris Agreement came into force, countries submitted their Intended NDCs (INDCs) to communicate their preliminary targets.
India’s INDC was officially submitted to the UNFCCC on 2 October 2015, symbolically coinciding with the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, reflecting the nation’s emphasis on sustainable living and ecological stewardship.
At the time of submission, India accounted for about 4.1 per cent of global GHG emissions, despite housing nearly 17 per cent of the world’s population. Its INDC therefore sought to balance developmental imperatives with environmental responsibility.

Guiding Principles

India’s INDC is grounded in several guiding principles:

• Equity and Common but Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR): Recognising that developed countries bear greater responsibility for historical emissions.
• Right to Sustainable Development: Ensuring economic growth, poverty eradication, and improved living standards while addressing climate change.
• Climate Justice: Emphasising fairness for vulnerable populations disproportionately affected by climate change.
• Inclusive Growth: Integrating environmental sustainability into national development planning.

Key Commitments under India’s INDC

India’s INDC encompasses three broad quantitative goals and a range of qualitative measures aimed at achieving a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy.

1. Emission Intensity Reduction

• India pledged to reduce the emission intensity of its GDP by 33–35 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030.
• This target focuses on decoupling economic growth from carbon emissions through energy efficiency, clean technology, and low-carbon infrastructure.
• It excludes emissions from the agriculture sector, recognising its importance for food security.

2. Renewable Energy and Non-Fossil Fuel Target

• India committed to achieving about 40 per cent cumulative electric power capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030.
• This includes renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, hydro, and nuclear power.
• The implementation is conditional upon the availability of international finance and technology transfer.
• The target has been operationalised through the National Solar Mission, National Wind Energy Mission, and large-scale renewable energy investments.

3. Carbon Sink Creation through Forest and Tree Cover

• India aims to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.
• This commitment is pursued under the Green India Mission and National Afforestation Programme, focusing on ecosystem restoration and biodiversity conservation.

Adaptation Strategies

In addition to mitigation targets, India’s INDC places strong emphasis on adaptation measures, reflecting the country’s vulnerability to climate impacts such as floods, droughts, and heatwaves. Key adaptation strategies include:

• Agriculture: Promoting climate-resilient crop varieties, efficient irrigation, and soil conservation.
• Water Resources: Implementing integrated water resource management and improving groundwater recharge.
• Coastal Zone Management: Enhancing resilience in coastal ecosystems and communities.
• Disaster Management: Strengthening early warning systems and climate risk insurance mechanisms.
• Health and Livelihoods: Building adaptive capacity in health systems and rural livelihoods.

India’s approach integrates adaptation into national development programmes such as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA).

Policy Framework Supporting the INDC

India’s INDC builds upon a strong domestic policy foundation laid through the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), launched in 2008, and complemented by State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCCs).
The NAPCC comprises eight national missions, which serve as key instruments for implementing the INDC objectives:

1. National Solar Mission
2. National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency
3. National Mission on Sustainable Habitat
4. National Water Mission
5. National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem
6. National Mission for a Green India
7. National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture
8. National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change

Additionally, sectoral policies such as the Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT) scheme, Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPOs), and Ujjwala and Ujala programmes contribute to emission reduction and energy transition.

Financing and Technology Transfer

Recognising that climate action requires significant investment, India’s INDC estimates that implementing its commitments will require at least USD 2.5 trillion (at 2014–15 prices) between 2015 and 2030.
India emphasised the need for:

• International climate finance from developed countries under the UNFCCC financial mechanism.
• Technology transfer for clean and efficient energy systems.
• Capacity building and cooperation through platforms such as the International Solar Alliance (ISA).

India has also established domestic financing mechanisms, including the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC) and Coal Cess (Clean Energy Cess) to support renewable initiatives.

Progress and Achievements

India has made significant strides in implementing its INDC commitments:

• Emission Intensity: By 2019, India had already reduced its emission intensity by around 33 per cent compared to 2005 levels, nearly meeting its 2030 target ahead of schedule.
• Renewable Energy Expansion: Installed capacity from non-fossil fuel sources surpassed 43 per cent in 2023, demonstrating strong progress toward the 2030 goal.
• Afforestation and Green Cover: Forest and tree cover increased steadily, with over 24.6 per cent of the geographical area now under green cover (as per the India State of Forest Report 2021).

Updation and Transition to NDC

Following the Paris Agreement’s ratification, India’s INDC automatically transitioned into its first Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) upon joining the agreement in October 2016.
In August 2022, India submitted its updated NDC to the UNFCCC, reflecting enhanced ambition consistent with the Panchamrit commitments announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at COP26 (Glasgow, 2021):

1. Achieve 50 per cent cumulative electric power capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030.
2. Reduce emission intensity of GDP by 45 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030.
3. Achieve net-zero emissions by 2070.

These updates represent a progressive strengthening of India’s original INDC commitments while maintaining focus on equitable development.

Challenges in Implementation

Despite strong progress, India faces several challenges in fully realising its INDC objectives:

• Dependence on Fossil Fuels: Continued reliance on coal for electricity generation poses challenges to decarbonisation.
• Financing Constraints: Limited availability of concessional finance hampers large-scale renewable and adaptation projects.
• Technological Gaps: Need for advanced storage, grid management, and carbon capture technologies.
• Climate Vulnerabilities: Increased frequency of extreme weather events impacts infrastructure and livelihoods.
• Institutional Coordination: Effective coordination between central and state agencies is essential for coherent policy execution.

International Cooperation and Leadership

India’s INDC and subsequent actions demonstrate its leadership in global climate diplomacy:

• Founding the International Solar Alliance (ISA) in 2015 to promote solar energy adoption in developing nations.
• Active role in the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) launched in 2019.
• Collaboration with multilateral partners such as the World Bank, Green Climate Fund (GCF), and Global Environment Facility (GEF).