In updating its climate targets, India committed to 60% of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil sources by 2035. It also aims to reduce emissions intensity per unit of GDP by 47% compared to 2005 levels and increase its carbon sink to 3.5 billion tons – 4 billion tons. These targets form its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to be reported to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
“We can easily achieve these goals… (with) the speed with which we are expanding our non-fossil resources,” Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said at a briefing after the cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
As a signatory to the Paris Agreement, India was supposed to issue an updated NDC in 2025 that clarifies its voluntary steps to transition away from fossil fuels and improve energy efficiency measures.
At the 30th Conference of the Parties in Belem, Brazil last November, Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav said India would announce the NDC by “the end of the year. The Conference of the Parties, or CoP, is a group of nations that meet annually to discuss climate issues and transitioning their economies away from fossil fuels.”
India and Argentina were the only two G-20 countries that had not announced NDC 2035 by 31 December 2025. By that date, a total of 128 parties, representing about 78% of global greenhouse gas emissions, had submitted new NDCs. These included 21 small island developing states, 19 least developed countries and 18 G-20 members.
Current liabilities
India’s current NDC, officially announced to the United Nations in August 2022, commits by 2030 to: have 50% of installed electricity from non-fossil sources; reduction of emission intensity per unit of GDP by 44%; and increasing its carbon sink to at least 2.5 billion tons to 3 billion tons of CO2 equivalent.
Currently, about 52% of India’s installed electricity capacity comes from non-fossil fuel sources—a target well ahead of schedule—even though only about 25% of energy generated is non-fossil fuel. These sources include solar, wind, hydro, biomass and nuclear power. According to official estimates, as of 2019, India achieved an emissions intensity of 36% between 2005 and 2020.
From 2005 to 2019, a carbon sink of 1.97 billion tons of CO2 equivalent has already been created. However, forests and trees account for about 24.6% of India’s geographical area in 2021, up from 21% in 2005 but still less than the national policy target of 33%.
“In formulating India’s NDC for 2031-2035, the government has taken into account the results of the first global inventory (GST), the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities (CBDR-RC) and equity to harmonize national realities, development priorities, energy security and the need for greater climate ambition,” the ministry said, in line with the purpose and long-term goals of the Paris Agreement.
Launched in 2021, the GST assesses the world’s collective progress towards limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and concludes that nations are not on track. Several independent analysts have suggested that while India can meet its NDC targets by 2030, it is not enough to keep the globe on a 1.5C trajectory.
Independent analysts have said that India is picking up shortfalls for developed countries.
India’s NDC target has come at a time of “climate policy rollback” and “unilateral trade measures” by developed rich countries, Vaibhav Chaturvedi, senior fellow at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), told The Hindu. “It shows a strong commitment to addressing the transmission and land availability constraints facing the renewables sector. The 47% emissions intensity target shows that energy security and prices cannot be taken for granted.”
“At a time when developed countries are retreating from ambition, deepening their entrenchment in fossil fuels and dragging the world towards military conflict, the signal from India shows that the leadership of the Global South (developing countries) on climate ambition is concrete and real,” Avantika Goswami of the Center for Science and Environment (CSE), an influential think tank, said in a statement.
Published – 25 March 2026 23:34 IST
