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India's climate diplomacy: A review (2014-2024)
Jun 22, 2025 09:01 AM IST
India has a role to play in global climate diplomacy, with its large population, fast-growing economy, and vulnerabilities to the consequences of the climate crisis. Utilising a review of existing literature, this brief evaluates the country's involvement in international climate forums in the past decade, its negotiation strategies and policy coherence, and their effectiveness. It finds that India's strategy for climate diplomacy has aimed for a balance between national and international obligations, while promoting fairness and climate justice. The brief underlines the imperative for a more thorough examination of implementation issues in climate policy and the results of India's engagements with global powers. It outlines recommendations for future research on the ways in which India can enhance its climate diplomacy endeavours. Climate crisis(AFP)
India is taking a proactive role in shaping global climate solutions. In November 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced India's Panchamrit commitments at COP26, including achieving net-zero emissions by 2070, aiming for 50% renewable energy capacity by 2030, and reducing carbon intensity by 45% by 2030. In 2023 during its G20 presidency, India endorsed the New Delhi Climate Agenda—which focuses on multilateral cooperation, climate finance, and sustainable development—and the implementation of the Paris Agreement, which advocates for equitable climate finance for developing countries. India's G20 presidency also brought renewed attention to green technologies, digital solutions, and low-carbon infrastructure.
India's climate agenda continues to evolve, with its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) emphasising inclusive and just sustainability and balancing development goals with global climate action. These developments highlight India's growing climate leadership on the world stage, despite the country facing disproportionate vulnerabilities due to the climate crisis.
This paper can be accessed here.
This paper is authored by Keshab Chandra Ratha and Arta Barik, ORF, New Delhi.
