New Delhi: India has unveiled its updated national climate action plan for the period 2031 to 2035, committing to significantly expand clean energy and reduce carbon emissions as part of its obligations under the Paris Agreement. The new targets were approved by the Union Cabinet chaired by Narendra Modi.
Under the updated Nationally Determined Contributions, India aims to achieve 60 percent of its cumulative installed electric power capacity from non fossil fuel energy sources by 2035. The country has also pledged to reduce the emission intensity of its gross domestic product by 47 percent compared with 2005 levels.
These commitments build on India’s earlier climate targets announced in 2015 and revised in 2022. The country had previously promised to cut emission intensity by 33 to 35 percent by 2030 and ensure that 40 percent of its installed electricity capacity came from non fossil sources. Both of those targets were achieved ahead of schedule.
Government data shows that India reduced its emission intensity by about 36 percent between 2005 and 2020. In terms of clean energy deployment, non fossil fuel sources already account for over 52 percent of the country’s installed electricity capacity, allowing India to meet its earlier target well before the original deadline.
The new climate roadmap also expands India’s ambition to increase carbon sinks through forests and tree cover. The country plans to create an additional carbon sink of 3.5 to 4 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2035 compared with 2005 levels. By 2021, India had already created around 2.29 billion tonnes of carbon sink through forest and tree cover.
The updated targets follow consultations and sector specific studies conducted by working groups coordinated by NITI Aayog with participation from government ministries, industry experts, and civil society organisations.
According to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the revised commitments align with the outcomes of the first global review of climate progress and are based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. The government said the plan balances India’s development priorities, energy security and climate commitments while contributing to global efforts to address climate change.
The broader strategy also supports India’s long term objective of achieving net zero emissions by 2070 while promoting sustainable infrastructure, research in green technologies and international cooperation on climate action.
