Belem: In the corridors of the COP30 venue at Hangar Convention and Fair Centre of the Amazon, a question hangs heavy as the humidity: where is India's nationally determined contribution (NDC)? Along with Saudi Arabia, India remains among the major G20 economies yet to submit its 2035 climate targets - fuelling speculation.
The silence on NDCs is particularly deafening this year - not just because 2025 is the deadline for countries to submit their 2035 targets under the Paris Agreement (PA), but also because geopolitical headwinds make it crucial to send a clear message that multilateralism can deliver on global challenges like climate change.
India, like all other countries that are party to the UN climate convention and PA, agreed to this timeline. The science is clear, the world needs to move ahead, faster, in its transition to a low-carbon economy. Numbers tell us that that the world is moving surely in the right direction, but not fast enough.
The responsibility of bending the emissions curve and adapting to climate impacts does not rest solely on India. But as home to 1/6th of humanity with an economy that is growing and will grow further to address developmental deficits and aspirations of its people, what India does matters. NDC is the clearest signal to the global community of its continued commitment to safeguard humanity's future and well-being.
Over the past week, India has articulated its commitment to multilateralism and the UN climate agreements. It has committed all support to Brazil, a fellow developing country and its partner in BRICS and BASIC, for a successful COP30.
These are words in a world that requires action. Commitment to multilateralism means adhering to rules and abiding by legal obligations that countries as parties to the multilateral institution have agreed to take on. This would mean delivering the legal obligations it has signed on to in PA and subsequent decisions - climate targets every five years (NDC), detailed reports on the implementation of the targets every 2 yrs (Biennial Transparency Report, or BTR), and plans for adapting to climate change impacts (National Adaptation Reports, or NAPs). An unequivocal demonstration of the ability of multilateralism to deliver on climate change is central to success at COP30.
As geopolitical headwinds and their economic impacts continue to take a toll on efforts that countries are making to deal with this global challenge, with many deprioritising climate action, India is a beacon. It continues to take steps that will deepen its clean economy. It has not stopped or slowed down after meeting its 2030 NDC target of increasing the share of non-fossil fuel sources for generating electricity, setting up carbon markets, and moving ahead on its green hydrogen and biofuels programme. This is far from hitting the pause button or deprioritising.
NDCs provide India the opportunity to demonstrate the challenges it faces in undertaking the twin transition - from considerable developmental and energy access deficits to one that is expanding access for its people while simultaneously greening its economy.
The planet is no more in danger than it already is. The only damage that the missing NDCs inflict is to India's reputation as a team player with a serious commitment to tackling climate change.
India wishes to host the COP in 2028. That is the year of the global stocktake, and while it won't be the 'historic first', it will be immensely consequential because it will cover the efforts of a time of immense geopolitical upheaval, two wars and US weaponisation of trade.
It will also be the last chance for rectifying before the consequential decade ends. The missing NDCs will hurt that prospect. It diminishes India's capacity to engage as the bridge between the wealthiest economies and the poor and vulnerable countries. And it undermines India's status as a global player. Actions matter, but keeping one's word matters as much.
The silence on NDCs is particularly deafening this year - not just because 2025 is the deadline for countries to submit their 2035 targets under the Paris Agreement (PA), but also because geopolitical headwinds make it crucial to send a clear message that multilateralism can deliver on global challenges like climate change.
India, like all other countries that are party to the UN climate convention and PA, agreed to this timeline. The science is clear, the world needs to move ahead, faster, in its transition to a low-carbon economy. Numbers tell us that that the world is moving surely in the right direction, but not fast enough.
The responsibility of bending the emissions curve and adapting to climate impacts does not rest solely on India. But as home to 1/6th of humanity with an economy that is growing and will grow further to address developmental deficits and aspirations of its people, what India does matters. NDC is the clearest signal to the global community of its continued commitment to safeguard humanity's future and well-being.
Over the past week, India has articulated its commitment to multilateralism and the UN climate agreements. It has committed all support to Brazil, a fellow developing country and its partner in BRICS and BASIC, for a successful COP30.
These are words in a world that requires action. Commitment to multilateralism means adhering to rules and abiding by legal obligations that countries as parties to the multilateral institution have agreed to take on. This would mean delivering the legal obligations it has signed on to in PA and subsequent decisions - climate targets every five years (NDC), detailed reports on the implementation of the targets every 2 yrs (Biennial Transparency Report, or BTR), and plans for adapting to climate change impacts (National Adaptation Reports, or NAPs). An unequivocal demonstration of the ability of multilateralism to deliver on climate change is central to success at COP30.
As geopolitical headwinds and their economic impacts continue to take a toll on efforts that countries are making to deal with this global challenge, with many deprioritising climate action, India is a beacon. It continues to take steps that will deepen its clean economy. It has not stopped or slowed down after meeting its 2030 NDC target of increasing the share of non-fossil fuel sources for generating electricity, setting up carbon markets, and moving ahead on its green hydrogen and biofuels programme. This is far from hitting the pause button or deprioritising.
NDCs provide India the opportunity to demonstrate the challenges it faces in undertaking the twin transition - from considerable developmental and energy access deficits to one that is expanding access for its people while simultaneously greening its economy.
The planet is no more in danger than it already is. The only damage that the missing NDCs inflict is to India's reputation as a team player with a serious commitment to tackling climate change.
India wishes to host the COP in 2028. That is the year of the global stocktake, and while it won't be the 'historic first', it will be immensely consequential because it will cover the efforts of a time of immense geopolitical upheaval, two wars and US weaponisation of trade.
It will also be the last chance for rectifying before the consequential decade ends. The missing NDCs will hurt that prospect. It diminishes India's capacity to engage as the bridge between the wealthiest economies and the poor and vulnerable countries. And it undermines India's status as a global player. Actions matter, but keeping one's word matters as much.
( Originally published on Nov 12, 2025 )
Urmi Goswami