India has submitted its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), ahead of the COP30 summit scheduled in Belém, Brazil. The updated NDC raises India's climate ambition significantly, targeting a 47% reduction in emissions intensity of GDP by 2035 compared to 2005 levels — an upgrade from the earlier 45% target. Additionally, India has committed to achieving 60% of its cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2035, up from the previous 50% target.
The updated NDC covers all greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6). It also includes enhanced provisions for carbon sink augmentation through forest and tree cover expansion, targeting an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.
India's NDC aligns with its broader vision of Panchamrit commitments announced at COP26 in Glasgow, which include reaching net zero emissions by 2070. The submission was made by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). Climate analysts and bodies like Down to Earth noted that this represents a meaningful upgrade in India's Paris Agreement pledges. The enhanced NDC demonstrates India's commitment to leading climate action among developing nations while balancing its developmental imperatives.