Milestones Achieved in India’s Climate Action

India’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) comprises three quantitative targets: reducing the emissions intensity of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), increasing the share of non-fossil fuel-based energy resources in installed electric power capacity, and creating an additional carbon sink.

India achieved a 37.38% reduction in the emissions intensity of its GDP in 2022 from the 2005 level, against the NDC goal of reducing emissions intensity by 45% by 2030.

The share of cumulative installed electric power capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy sources crossed 50% in June 2025, achieving the NDC goal five years ahead of the committed timeline.

As of  30th June 2026, non-fossil fuel-based energy resources accounted for 54.18% of the country’s total installed electric power capacity.

India has created an additional carbon sink of 2.44 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent during 2005 to 2022, against the NDC goal of creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5–3.0 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent by 2030 through additional forest and tree cover.

As reported in India’s first Biennial Transparency Report submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in April 2026, the decoupling of greenhouse gas emissions from economic growth and GDP can be attributed to policies promoting renewable energy deployment and improving the energy efficiency of all economic activity.

The early achievement of the NDC goal on the share of non-fossil fuel-based installed electric power capacity has been made possible by a range of policies that incentivise renewable energy generation and its integration into the national electricity grid.

The creation of carbon sinks may be possible because the national and State governments have accorded a high priority to conservation and restoration.

This approach is reflected in the framework of Policies, Acts, Rules, Programmes, and Schemes to ensure conservation of forests and biodiversity, enhance green cover, and increase people’s participation in conservation activities while protecting the rights of forest-dependent communities.

The NDC targets for the year 2035 have been enhanced, with quantitative targets to reduce the emissions intensity of GDP by 47% from the 2005 level, achieve 60% cumulative installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources, and create a carbon sink of 3.5 to 4.0 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through forest and tree cover as compared to the baseline year of 2005.

The NDC also includes five qualitative targets aimed at promoting sustainable lifestyles, enhancing adaptation capacity, and adopting climate-friendly, cleaner paths aligned with the goal of Viksit Bharat @2047.

India’s progress in implementing its significant climate commitments has received wide recognition from many leading international bodies including the International Energy Agency (IEA), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), United Nationals Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), World Bank, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), etc.