New Delhi: India’s transition to a green economy presents unprecedented opportunities to integrate sustainability with competitiveness, said Bhupender Yadav, Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
Urging industry to embrace India’s green momentum and translate it into real, scalable action, he suggested that companies step forward with voluntary commitments that will strengthen the country’s political push towards a self-sustaining circular economy.
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“By investing in research, infrastructure, skill development and working with SMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) and their partners, the industry can drive India’s vision of a self-sufficient, globally competitive and sustainable industrial base,” Yadav said in a special plenary address on “Green Growth: Aligning Sustainability with Competitiveness” at the CII25Edge event.
Circularity is an economic model that aims to eliminate waste and keep materials in use for as long as possible through repair, recycling and reuse.
Basics highlighted
Highlighting the country’s development trajectory under the Viksit Bharat vision, the Minister highlighted India’s strong economic fundamentals and rapid progress in sustainable development. Clean industrialization, he noted, “is not a constraint but a catalyst” for innovation, resilience and future prosperity. He emphasized that decarbonisation of India’s manufacturing sector is a strategic imperative to enhance export competitiveness and reduce exposure to carbon-related trade barriers.
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The minister highlighted India’s strategic shift towards sustainable, competitive and resilient economic growth.
Despite global geopolitical and environmental turbulence, the minister asserted that India has become a “trusted global partner” that favors green technologies, circular economy principles, sustainable manufacturing and nature-based solutions.
“Strong Change of Mind”
“Across India, businesses – especially SMEs – are undergoing a major mindset shift, becoming much more aware and responsible in terms of environmental sustainability and social responsibility. Policy interventions have further accelerated this movement and spurred the adoption of greener materials, sustainable products and waste-to-energy solutions,” said Neal Thakker, founder and CEO of Magma Group, a green manufacturing company.
“We are seeing clear momentum from both large companies and emerging companies, and this demand will grow significantly in the coming years,” Thakkar added.
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The minister called on industry leaders to work closely with value chain partners and SMEs to embrace circularity. “This will not only improve India’s competitiveness but also open doors to new markets and position our manufacturers firmly in global value chains,” he said.
Yadav detailed the recent reforms and initiatives leading to India’s green industrial transformation. Referring to the GST 2.0 reforms, he said, “The GST 2.0 reforms reaffirm green growth by reducing tax rates from 12% to 5% on renewable energy equipment, biodegradable plastics, sewage treatment plants and electric vehicles. Industry must seize this opportunity to invest in green manufacturing, integrate green practices across supply chains to achieve competitiveness and collaborate globally.
