NITI Aayog has released a comprehensive Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) Policy Framework outlining India's strategy to capture 750 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide per annum (MTPA) by 2050. The policy document, one of the most detailed CCUS roadmaps by any emerging economy, is backed by a proposed budget allocation of ₹20,000 crore for initial development phases.

CCUS involves capturing CO2 from industrial emission sources, then either storing it permanently underground in geological formations or utilizing it as a feedstock in industrial processes. The technology is considered critical for achieving net-zero targets in hard-to-abate sectors — industries where direct electrification or renewable substitution is technically challenging or economically unfeasible in the near term.

The NITI Aayog framework identifies four primary sectors for CCUS deployment in India: steel (which accounts for about 7% of global CO2 emissions and is difficult to decarbonize due to coal-based reduction processes), cement (responsible for about 8% of global CO2), oil & gas (where CCS is already commercially used in some countries for enhanced oil recovery), and fertilizers (where hydrogen production from natural gas generates significant CO2).

The total investment required is estimated at $100–150 billion over the next 25 years. The framework projects that CCUS deployment could create 8–10 million jobs in India through construction, operation, monitoring, and related industries, making it a significant contributor to green employment.

The ₹20,000 crore initial budgetary support is envisioned for pilot projects, geological storage surveys, research & development, and building the regulatory framework for CCUS permitting. India's geological surveys suggest significant storage potential in deep saline aquifers and depleted oil & gas fields across the Deccan Traps, Indo-Gangetic plains, and offshore basins.