india 2030 challenges essay

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Is India the World’s Next Great Economic Power?

• Bhaskar Chakravorti
• Gaurav Dalmia

Historically, the country’s expected rise has remained elusive. Here’s a look at what’s different now.

Is India’s economic rise inevitable? There’s good reason to think that this latest round of Indo-optimism might be different than previous iterations, but the country still has major challenges to address to make good on this promise. In terms of drivers, demand — in the form of a consumer boom, context appropriate innovation, and a green transition — and supply — in the form of a demographic dividend, access to finance, and major infrastructure upgrades — are helping to push the country forward. This is facilitated by policy reforms, geopolitical positioning, and a diaspora dividend. Even so, the country faces barriers to success, including unbalanced growth, unrealized demographic potential, and unrealized ease-of-business and innovation potential.

In 2002, India’s government launched a ubiquitous international tourism campaign known as “Incredible India.” Were it to launch a similar campaign today, it might as well be called “Inevitable India.” Not just enthusiasts within the country, but a chorus of global analysts, have declared India as the next great economic power: Goldman Sachs has predicted it will become the world’s second-largest economy by 2075, and the FT’s Martin Wolf suggests that by 2050, its purchasing power will be 30% larger than that of the U.S.

• Bhaskar Chakravorti is the Dean of Global Business at The Fletcher School at Tufts University and founding Executive Director of Fletcher’s Institute for Business in the Global Context . He is the author of The Slow Pace of Fast Change .
• Gaurav Dalmia is the Chairman of Dalmia Group Holdings, an Indian holding company for business and financial assets.

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India’s Sustainable Development Goal Journey: Progress and Pathways

• First Online: 28 August 2024

Cite this chapter

• Baiju Pallayil 8 ,
• Jithin Joseph 9 ,
• Sivaprasad Veluthedan 10 ,
• Sameena Moulana Manzil Siddique 11 ,
• Aryamol Kottappalla Bhaskaran 9 &
• Uma Maheswary 9  

Part of the book series: Studies in Systems, Decision and Control ((SSDC,volume 535))

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This article presents a comprehensive assessment of India’s progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) from 2000 to 2022, with a particular focus on the first 10 SDG goals. Through rigorous scrutiny of crucial indicators, the paper explores outcomes and challenges in India’s pursuit of a sustainable future. Key findings include a substantial decline in the poverty headcount ratio, improvements in youth literacy rates, and a positive trend in maternal healthcare. Despite notable progress, challenges persist, such as an increase in malnutrition rates and disparities in women’s business ownership. The analysis emphasizes the need for persistent efforts to sustain gains and address evolving challenges. The study contributes valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders, equipping them with knowledge to navigate a more equitable and secure world in the coming decade. The findings underscore the importance of continued efforts to promote renewable energy consumption, address disparities in access to sanitation, and achieve inclusive and sustainable economic growth. While progress is evident, the article highlights the ongoing work required to make remittance services more affordable and accessible to all migrant communities, aligning with the commitment to SDG 10c.

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Baiju Pallayil

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Jithin Joseph, Aryamol Kottappalla Bhaskaran & Uma Maheswary

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Sivaprasad Veluthedan

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Sameena Moulana Manzil Siddique

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Pallayil, B., Joseph, J., Veluthedan, S., Siddique, S.M.M., Bhaskaran, A.K., Maheswary, U. (2024). India’s Sustainable Development Goal Journey: Progress and Pathways. In: El Khoury, R. (eds) Anticipating Future Business Trends: Navigating Artificial Intelligence Innovations. Studies in Systems, Decision and Control, vol 535. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-63569-4_37

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How will India be in 2030 - a new book charts the course

Prashant Sood | Updated: Jan 25, 2021 10:58 IST

New Delhi [India], January 25 (ANI): India wants to be the third-largest economy in the world by the end of this decade, raise Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education to 50 per cent, end extreme poverty and produce 450 GW of renewable energy. The Narendra Modi government has undertaken bold reforms to meet the manifold aspirations across sectors and usher the country on a faster growth path. A new book looks at the journey that India will undertake in the next ten years as it meets challenges in the neighbourhood and beyond and gets rid of bottlenecks and inefficiencies to realise its inherent strengths. The book 'India 2030: The Rise of a Rajasic Nation' seeks to capture the India of 2030, walks a decade-long journey with all its major and minor trails and tells what India will look like 10 years from now. Edited by Observer Research Foundation Vice President Gautam Chikermane , the book has essays by 20 thought leaders on themes that will impact and influence India through the 2020s. It carries advanced praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Experts who have contributed to the book include former Supreme Court Judge BN Srikrishna, former R&AW chief Vikram Sood , Vedic teacher David Frawley, former CSIR director general RA Mashelkar and Bibek Debroy , chairman Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister. Chikermane notes that it is not a prescriptive but predictive book and is a "definite envisioning of the future". The book has been published by Penguin Random House. In his essay 'Politics: Return to Conservatism, Rise to Great Power' BJP leader Ram Madhav , who is also a member of Governing Board of India Foundation, says that 2020s will see India return to its conservative roots. He says this decade will belong to India, its resurgence will be driven by Bharat. He also says that the decade will lay the foundations for a Right-dominated discourse. "Politically, the decade will consolidate the change that gained strength in 2014 but began earlier. It will lay the foundations for a Right-dominated discourse. A new nationalism will flourish in a variety of ways. Neither caste nor religion will drive politics, but performance and trust will. This philosophical change will express itself through politics, of course. But equally, it will drive new streams of narratives around economics, development, infrastructure, enterprise, technology and culture. This decade will belong to India, and its resurgence will be driven by Bharat. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the driver of this resurgence. Modi stands on the shoulders of several other leaders such as Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. But the final change will be driven by citizens who will oversee the rise of the Indian economic miracle, watch as it grows towards becoming a great power, and ensure the rise is peaceful, inclusive and integral." He says that the Congress party under Nehru had started representing Centre-Left politics, while the Jan Sangh emerged as a Centre-Right alternative to it. He refers to the birth of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 1980 and "its meteoric rise in just a decade's time to emerge as India's principal opposition" and says the erosion of the influence of the Congress in Indian politics and the rise of the BJP at the same time are not just two political developments. "They signify the decisive ideological shift that has taken place among the Indian polity over the course of the past four decades." "Under Vajpayee, the country witnessed the transformation of Indian politics into a Right nationalist mould. The culmination of this process happened when Narendra Modi stormed his way into the Indian parliament in 2014 with a 282-seat absolute majority for BJP. Prior to becoming prime minister of the country, Modi became the rallying point for the cultural nationalists in the country. As chief minister of Gujarat, Modi cultivated a development-focused, industry-friendly and progressive image for himself that was clearly in line with the conservative economic ideas of the Indian Right. As a core cadre of the RSS, he also represented the socio-cultural ideas of the Indian Right. The emergence of Modi on the Indian political horizon has marked the beginning of a new phenomenon in Indian politics. Modi emerged as the most iconic leader in the country, with no other leader in the Opposition coming anywhere near him. The BJP too has grown to become the only party with a pan-Indian presence, while the influence of the other national party, the Congress, has shrunk to an all-time low." Ram Madhav notes that liberals dismiss it as 'identity politics', but the Indian mind responds affirmatively to the idea of a cultural-civilizational identity. "Gandhi used it to the hilt, but Nehru, even though he wrote extensively about its richness, nevertheless rejected its role in the country's politics. Modi's style is to wear his cultural-civilizational identity on his sleeve." He says Panchamrit, or the five pillars are PM Modi's contribution to foreign policy. "Samman--the dignity and honour of every Indian; Samvad--greater engagement; Samruddhi--economic prosperity; Suraksha--internal and external security; and Samskriti--culture and civilization, have become the new pillars. Modi's diaspora diplomacy is a path-breaking initiative." Ram Madhav notes that the coming decade is going to be dominated by the nationalist politics of PM Modi and the BJP. In his essay 'Defence: Nine Trends Will Dominate the 2020s', Abhijit Iyer-Mitra , a senior fellow at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, says that the 2020s will be a breakaway decade for defence. "This decade will see major changes in the way the sector has been seen, politically, economically and technologically. Among the major changes will be a shift from offsets to work share, big business to small and medium defence-focused enterprises, and a shift to air from ground-centrism. And while there will be a greater reliance on Russia for weapons sourcing, the decade ahead will simultaneously see a closer alignment with the West. These changes will be driven by a larger economy and a greater role for India in international affairs." He says that nine trends will start emerging this decade as a result of economics, politics, technology and circumstances, should optimal policy prevail. "A shift from offsets to work share; shift from big conglomerates to MSMEs in defence production; shift from a government-run model of defence production to a private sector one; streamlining of what technologies and projects the government invests in; steady synchronization of Indian defence production and purchases with the Occidental military-industrial complex; an ever-decreasing reliance on Russia; bifurcation of economic and security policy; shift to air-centrism from ground-centrism, prioritization of interoperability, ISR and network centricity over an outright purchase of platforms." "It remains to be seen how effectively and smoothly these changes will occur. In open societies like India, naturally, changes are accompanied by significant public acrimony. The real challenge will be managing and smoothening these clashes. In many ways, these challenges are a microcosm of the challenges India faces as a society." He says perhaps the most important shift that India will see in the 2020s will be the swing from warfighting to war-winning, which now depends overwhelmingly on air combat. The essay also talks about the lessons and positives of Balakot air strikes. "Any proper introspection will accelerate the process towards optimization of the air combat paradigm, making it a highly reliable, flexible and precise tool for policymakers to use in times of crisis. Indeed, this will quite possibly become one of the most significant trends of the 2020s and will herald a shift to full air-centrism." In his essay, Foreign Policy: India Will Be a 'Bridge Nation', Samir Saran , President of Observer Research Foundation, says that India's journey towards a $10 trillion economy by the mid-2030s will shape and be shaped by its foreign policy priorities in the decade ahead. "After all, India will be the first major power to transition from a low- to middle-income economy amid the fourth industrial revolution, the disenchantment with globalization and in the backdrop of a global pandemic which has all but exposed the frail ethics and malicious influence that have now come to define global governance. India will indeed be a 'bridge nation' in the coming decade. India will continue responding to its twentieth-century development challenges (albeit constrained by a modest per capita GDP and a low tax-GDP ratio), even as millions of Indians embrace digital technologies to influence political outcomes and create new pathways for social and economic mobility. He says multipolarity will be the norm and multilateralism will be contested and the coming decade will test India's ability to 'behave'--or wield its influence--as a great power does. "The past two decades witnessed India emerge as a global actor through sheer size. In essence, its massive demography, rapid economic rise and geographical importance have made it indispensable to global conversations of any consequence. The coming decade will test India's ability to 'behave'--or wield its influence--as a great power does. There is a large potential in such a future: India will be the first power that has identified itself with the equitable governance of the global commons." Author and writer Monika Halan, in her essay 'Money: A Brief History of the Future' looks back at India's economic journey and progress from what it will be in 2030. "The savings bank in your phone will become the investment bank in the 2020s. Money will flow seamlessly across all financial transactions, go where it's needed at a tap--data will become the new oil. This faster velocity of money will bring with it a greater transparency and a higher accountability in the financial system. This will result from and simultaneously drive the democratization of finance. But no surprises here: as the world's third-largest economy in the decade, Indians expect nothing less but will get a lot more. The marriage of technology with money will produce several changes in the way India consumes, grows, creates, builds, invests and transacts. "Writing in 2030, I see that the face of money and its expression have changed beyond recognition over the last decade, arguably the fastest change since Independence," she says. She says regulatory and legislative changes that began in 2014 "have been consolidated and strengthened over the last ten years". "Citizens have finally monetized the data they create; ownership rights over data have been streamlined and legislated by law. This has empowered the poor in ways we couldn't imagine in 2020." Chikermane notes in the preface of the book that India stands at a crossroads of several simultaneous disruptions at the start of the decade. "Not all disruptions of the 2020s will be government-led and several sectors will be driven by private actors, for profits as well as not-for-profits, and will contribute to the flowering of India." Chikermane says that beyond all other transformations in India, the 2020s will see a rajasic reawakening of the nation. In his essay 'Forces: Consolidation of a Rajasic India', he says that the discovery and organization of this rajasic force have been enurmerated, analysed and its principles extracted into former knowledge through Sankhya, one of the six intellectual traditions of India. Other essays in the book are - Health: Looking Beyond a Cultural Extinction Event by Rajesh Parikh; Economy: From Wealth Redistribution to Wealth Creation by Bibek Debroy ; Justice: Technology Will Deliver Exponential Efficiency by BN Srikrishna; Spying: Intelligence Will Need to Rethink, Reinvent Itself by Vikram Sood ; Multilateralism: From Principles to Transactions, and Back Again by Amrita Narlikar; Energy: Powering GDP, Fuelling Development by Kirit S. Parikh; Urbanization: India Finally Lives in Liveable Cities by Reuben Abraham; Work: Citizen-Firm Productivity through Effective Governance by Manish Sabharwal; Education: Four 'Fantastic' Forecasts by Parth J. Shah; Policymaking: The Coming Rise of Science in Policy by Ajay Shah; Science and Technology: India Will Be a Producer of Knowledge, Not Just a Consumer by Raghunath Anant Mashelkar; Soft Power: India Will Be the Confluence of Materialism and Spiritualism by Amish Tripathi; Friendships: Ideology and Technology Will Unfriend Society by Sandipan Deb; Nationalism: An Integral Union of the Nation with the Self by Devdip Ganguli; Civilizational Resurgence: India Will Reconnect with Its Ancient Past to Ride into a Dharmic Future by David Frawley. (ANI)

India 2030: The rise of a Rajasic Nation

Gautam Chikermane

Bibek Debroy

Abhijit Iyer-Mitra

Vikram Sood

Monica Halan

Samir Saran

Essay Curve

Essay on India 2030 – Examples, 10 Lines to 1200 Words

Essay on India 2030: India is a country of immense potential and promise, poised to become a global powerhouse by the year 2030. In this essay, we will explore the key factors that will drive India’s growth and development over the next decade. From advancements in technology and innovation to improvements in infrastructure and education, India is on track to transform into a leading player on the world stage. Join us as we delve into the future of India in 2030.

Table of Contents

India 2030 Essay Writing Tips

1. Start by introducing the topic of India in 2030 and why it is important to discuss the future of the country.

2. Provide an overview of the current state of India, highlighting its economic growth, technological advancements, and social challenges.

3. Discuss the key areas of focus for India in 2030, such as sustainable development, education, healthcare, and infrastructure.

4. Analyze the potential challenges that India may face in achieving its goals for 2030, such as population growth, climate change, and political instability.

5. Offer solutions and recommendations for addressing these challenges, including investing in renewable energy, improving access to education and healthcare, and promoting social cohesion.

6. Discuss the role of technology in shaping India’s future, including the impact of artificial intelligence, automation, and digitalization on the economy and society.

7. Highlight the importance of inclusive growth and social justice in India’s development, emphasizing the need to address inequality, discrimination, and poverty.

8. Conclude by summarizing the key points of the essay and emphasizing the importance of planning for India’s future in order to create a prosperous and sustainable society by 2030.

9. Proofread and edit your essay to ensure clarity, coherence, and accuracy of information.

10. Consider incorporating relevant statistics, case studies, and examples to support your arguments and make your essay more persuasive and informative.

Essay on India 2030 in 10 Lines – Examples

1. India 2030 is a vision for the future of India, aiming to transform the country into a developed nation by the year 2030. 2. The vision includes goals such as achieving high economic growth, reducing poverty, and improving infrastructure and healthcare. 3. India 2030 also focuses on promoting sustainable development, innovation, and technology adoption. 4. The vision aims to make India a global leader in various sectors, including information technology, renewable energy, and manufacturing. 5. Education and skill development are key priorities in India 2030, with a focus on improving the quality of education and increasing access to vocational training. 6. The vision also emphasizes the importance of gender equality and empowering women in all aspects of society. 7. India 2030 envisions a clean and green India, with a focus on environmental conservation and sustainable practices. 8. The vision includes plans to improve governance and reduce corruption, ensuring transparency and accountability in all sectors. 9. India 2030 aims to strengthen India’s position on the global stage, fostering strong diplomatic relations and partnerships with other countries. 10. Overall, India 2030 is a comprehensive roadmap for the country’s development, with a focus on inclusive growth and prosperity for all citizens.

Sample Essay on India 2030 in 100-180 Words

India 2030 envisions a country that has achieved significant progress in various sectors. With a focus on sustainable development, India aims to become a global leader in technology, innovation, and economic growth. By 2030, India aims to have a thriving economy, improved infrastructure, and a skilled workforce that can compete on a global scale.

In terms of social development, India aims to have improved healthcare, education, and social welfare systems that benefit all its citizens. The country also aims to address environmental challenges and promote sustainable practices to ensure a clean and green future for generations to come.

Overall, India 2030 aims to create a prosperous and inclusive society that is at the forefront of global development. With a focus on innovation and sustainability, India is poised to become a major player on the world stage by 2030.

Short Essay on India 2030 in 200-500 Words

India 2030 is a vision of a prosperous and developed India, where the country has achieved significant progress in various sectors. By the year 2030, India aims to become a global economic powerhouse, with a strong and sustainable economy that benefits all its citizens. The country also aspires to be a leader in technology, innovation, and sustainable development.

One of the key areas of focus for India 2030 is economic growth. The country aims to achieve a GDP growth rate of over 8% annually, which will help in reducing poverty, creating jobs, and improving the standard of living for its citizens. India also aims to become a major player in the global economy, with a strong presence in international trade and investment.

In terms of technology and innovation, India 2030 envisions the country as a hub for cutting-edge research and development. The country aims to be a leader in areas such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and renewable energy. By investing in research and innovation, India hopes to create a knowledge-based economy that drives growth and development.

Sustainable development is another key focus area for India 2030. The country aims to achieve a balance between economic growth and environmental conservation. India plans to invest in renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, to reduce its carbon footprint and combat climate change. The country also aims to improve waste management and promote sustainable agriculture practices to ensure a clean and green environment for future generations.

In terms of infrastructure development, India 2030 envisions a modern and efficient transportation network that connects all parts of the country. The country aims to invest in roads, railways, airports, and ports to improve connectivity and facilitate trade and commerce. India also plans to invest in smart cities and digital infrastructure to create a more efficient and sustainable urban environment.

Education and healthcare are also key focus areas for India 2030. The country aims to provide quality education and healthcare services to all its citizens, regardless of their socio-economic background. India plans to invest in schools, colleges, and hospitals to ensure access to quality education and healthcare for all. The country also aims to promote research and innovation in the fields of education and healthcare to improve outcomes and drive progress.

In conclusion, India 2030 is a vision of a prosperous and developed India that is a global leader in various sectors. By focusing on economic growth, technology and innovation, sustainable development, infrastructure, education, and healthcare, India aims to achieve significant progress by the year 2030. With the right policies and investments, India has the potential to become a major player in the global economy and a model for sustainable development.

Essay on India 2030 in 1000-1500 Words

India 2030: A Vision for the Future

Introduction

India, a country rich in culture, history, and diversity, is poised to become a global powerhouse by the year 2030. With a population of over 1.3 billion people, India is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, and its potential for growth and development is limitless. As we look ahead to the year 2030, it is important to envision what India could become and how it can achieve its full potential.

Economic Growth and Development

By the year 2030, India is projected to become the third-largest economy in the world, behind only China and the United States. With a growing middle class and a young, dynamic workforce, India has the potential to become a global leader in innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship. The government’s focus on infrastructure development, digitalization, and skill development will play a key role in driving economic growth and creating opportunities for all Indians.

One of the key drivers of India’s economic growth will be its focus on sustainable development and environmental conservation. By investing in renewable energy sources, reducing carbon emissions, and promoting sustainable practices, India can become a leader in the fight against climate change and create a cleaner, greener future for its citizens.

Education and Skill Development

In order to fully realize its economic potential, India must invest in its education system and skill development programs. By 2030, India aims to have a workforce that is skilled, educated, and ready to take on the challenges of the 21st century. The government’s focus on digital literacy, vocational training, and higher education will help prepare Indian youth for the jobs of the future and ensure that they have the skills they need to succeed in a rapidly changing world.

In addition to investing in traditional education, India must also focus on promoting innovation and entrepreneurship among its youth. By fostering a culture of creativity, risk-taking, and innovation, India can unleash the potential of its young entrepreneurs and create a vibrant startup ecosystem that drives economic growth and creates jobs for millions of Indians.

Healthcare and Social Welfare

By 2030, India aims to provide universal healthcare coverage to all its citizens, ensuring that every Indian has access to quality healthcare services. The government’s focus on expanding healthcare infrastructure, improving healthcare delivery systems, and promoting preventive care will help reduce the burden of disease and improve the overall health and well-being of the Indian population.

In addition to healthcare, India must also focus on improving social welfare programs and addressing the needs of its most vulnerable populations. By investing in social safety nets, promoting gender equality, and empowering marginalized communities, India can create a more inclusive society that ensures the well-being of all its citizens.

Infrastructure and Urban Development

India’s rapid urbanization presents both challenges and opportunities for the country. By 2030, India is projected to have over 40% of its population living in urban areas, placing a strain on infrastructure, transportation, and housing. In order to accommodate this urban growth, India must invest in smart, sustainable urban planning that promotes efficient transportation, affordable housing, and green spaces.

One of the key challenges facing India’s urban areas is air pollution, which poses a serious threat to public health and the environment. By investing in clean energy sources, promoting public transportation, and implementing strict environmental regulations, India can reduce air pollution levels and create a healthier, more sustainable urban environment for its citizens.

As we look ahead to the year 2030, it is clear that India has the potential to become a global leader in economic growth, innovation, and sustainable development. By investing in education, healthcare, infrastructure, and social welfare, India can create a more inclusive society that ensures the well-being of all its citizens. With the right policies, investments, and partnerships, India can achieve its full potential and become a shining example of what a 21st-century nation can be. India 2030 is not just a vision for the future, but a roadmap for success that will benefit all Indians for generations to come.

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India’s Economy to Remain Strong Despite Subdued Global Growth

Greater openness to trade will be key to reaching $1 trillion merchandise exports by 2030

NEW DELHI, September 3, 2024 — The Indian economy continues to grow at a healthy pace despite challenging global conditions, according to World Bank’s latest India Development Update: India’s Trade Opportunities in a Changing Global Context.  But to reach its $1 trillion merchandise exports goal by 2030, India needs to diversify its export basket and leverage global value chains.

The India Development Update (IDU) observes that India remained the fastest-growing major economy and grew at a rapid clip of 8.2 percent in FY23/24. Growth was boosted by public infrastructure investment and an upswing in household investments in real estate. On the supply side, it was supported by a buoyant manufacturing sector, which grew by 9.9 percent, and resilient services activity, which compensated for underperformance in agriculture. Reflecting these trends, urban unemployment has improved gradually since the pandemic, especially for female workers. Female urban unemployment fell to 8.5 percent in early FY24/25, although urban youth unemployment remained elevated at 17 percent. With a narrowing of the current account deficit and strong foreign portfolio investment inflows, foreign exchange reserves reached an all-time high of $670.1 billion in early August, equivalent to over 11 months oft cover (in FY23/24 import terms).

Amid challenging external conditions, the World Bank expects India’s medium-term outlook to remain positive. Growth is forecast to reach 7 percent in FY24/25 and remain strong in FY25/26 and FY26/27. With robust revenue growth and further fiscal consolidation, the debt-to-GDP ratio is projected to decline from 83.9 percent in FY23/24 to 82 percent by FY26/27. the current account deficit is expected to remain at around 1-1.6 percent of GDP up to FY26/27. (Table below).

The IDU also highlights the critical role of trade for boosting growth. The global trade landscape has witnessed increased protectionism in recent years. The post pandemic reconfiguration of global value chains, triggered by the pandemic, has created opportunities for India. The report emphasizes that India has boosted its competitiveness through the National Logistics Policy and digital initiatives that are reducing trade costs. However, it also notes that tariff and non-tariff barriers have increased and could limit the potential for trade focused investments.

“India’s robust growth prospects along with declining inflation will help to reduce extreme poverty,” said Auguste Tano Kouame, World Bank's Country Director in India. “India can boost its growth further by harnessing its global trade potential. In addition to IT, business services and pharma where it excels, India can diversify its export basket with increased exports in textiles, apparel, and footwear sectors, as well as electronics and green technology products.”

The IDU recommends a three-pronged approach towards achieving the $1 trillion merchandise export target by reducing trade costs further, lowering trade barriers, and deepening trade integration.

“With rising costs of production and declining productivity, India’s share in global apparel exports has declined from 4 percent in 2018 to 3 percent in 2022 , ” said Nora Dihel and Ran Li, Senior Economists, co-authors of the report. “To create more trade-related jobs, India can Integrate more deeply into global value chains which will also create opportunities for innovation and productivity growth. ”  

Source: CEIC and World Bank Staff calculations

Note: (i) Shaded columns are WB forecasts

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India’s clean energy transition is rapidly underway, benefiting the entire world

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IEA (2022), India’s clean energy transition is rapidly underway, benefiting the entire world , IEA, Paris https://www.iea.org/commentaries/india-s-clean-energy-transition-is-rapidly-underway-benefiting-the-entire-world

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This commentary was first published by The Times of India .

India’s announcement that it aims to reach net zero emissions by 2070 and to meet fifty percent of its electricity requirements from renewable energy sources by 2030 is a hugely significant moment for the global fight against climate change. India is pioneering a new model of economic development that could avoid the carbon-intensive approaches that many countries have pursued in the past – and provide a blueprint for other developing economies.

The scale of transformation in India is stunning. Its economic growth has been among the highest in the world over the past two decades, lifting of millions of people out of poverty. Every year, India adds a city the size of London to its urban population, involving vast construction of new buildings, factories and transportation networks. Coal and oil have so far served as bedrocks of India’s industrial growth and modernisation, giving a rising number of Indian people access to modern energy services. This includes adding new electricity connections for 50 million citizens each year over the past decade. 

The rapid growth in fossil energy consumption has also meant India’s annual CO 2 emissions have risen to become the third highest in the world. However, India’s CO 2 emissions per person put it near the bottom of the world’s emitters, and they are lower still if you consider historical emissions per person. The same is true of energy consumption: the average household in India consumes a tenth as much electricity as the average household in the United States.  

India’s sheer size and its huge scope for growth means that its energy demand is set to grow by more than that of any other country in the coming decades. In a pathway to net zero emissions by 2070, we estimate that most of the growth in energy demand this decade would already have to be met with low-carbon energy sources. It therefore makes sense that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced more ambitious targets for 2030, including installing 500 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity, reducing the emissions intensity of its economy by 45%, and reducing a billion tonnes of CO 2 . 

These targets are formidable, but the good news is that the clean energy transition in India is already well underway. It has overachieved its commitment made at COP 21- Paris Summit by already meeting 40% of its power capacity from non-fossil fuels- almost nine years ahead of its commitment and the share of solar and wind in India’s energy mix have grown phenomenally. Owing to technological developments, steady policy support and a vibrant private sector solar power plants are cheaper to build than coal ones. Renewable electricity is growing at a faster rate in India than any other major economy, with new capacity additions on track to double by 2026. The country is also one of the world’s largest producers of modern bioenergy and has big ambitions to scale up its use across the economy. The IEA expects India to overtake Canada and China in the next few years to become the third largest ethanol market worldwide after the United States and Brazil. 

However, even as it sets its sights on net zero, India faces a number of pressing near-term challenges. The sharp increase in commodity prices has made energy less affordable, and tight markets are increasing energy security risks for the world’s third largest energy importer. There is still a lack of reliable electricity supply for many consumers. Continued reliance on traditional fuels for cooking causes unnecessary harm to many people’s health. Financially ailing electricity distribution companies are impeding the urgent transformation of the sector. And high levels of pollution have left Indian cities with some of the poorest air quality in the world.

India already has a numerous policy measures in place that – if fully implemented – could address some of these challenges by accelerating the shift to cleaner and more efficient technologies. Subsidies for petrol and diesel were removed in the early 2010s, and subsidies for electric vehicles were introduced in 2019. India’s robust energy efficiency programme has been successful in reducing energy use and emissions from buildings, transport and major industries. Government efforts to provide millions of households with fuel gas for cooking and heating are enabling a steady transition away from the use of traditional biomass such as burning wood. India is also laying the groundwork to scale up important emerging technologies such as hydrogen, battery storage, and low-carbon steel, cement and fertilisers. 

A transition to clean energy is a huge economic opportunity. India is particularly well placed to become a global leader in renewable batteries and green hydrogen. These and other low-carbon technologies could create a market worth up to $80 billion in India by 2030. Support from the international community is essential to help shift India’s development onto a low-carbon path. To reach net zero emissions by 2070, the IEA estimates that $160 billion per year is needed, on average, across India’s energy economy between now and 2030. That’s three times today’s investment levels. Therefore, access of low cost long term capital is key to achieve net zero. 

Achieving net zero is not just about reducing greenhouse gas emissions. India’s energy transition needs to benefit its citizens, and well-designed policies can limit the potential trade-offs between affordability, security and sustainability. Green hydrogen will play a major role in achieving the net zero and decarbonising the hard-to-abate sectors. India aims to become a global hub for green hydrogen production and exports. India could easily create 5 million tonne green hydrogen demand thereby replacing grey hydrogen in the refineries and fertiliser sector. This 5 million tonnes will result in abatement of 28 million tonnes of CO 2 . This proportion will grow as we fructify green hydrogen economy and will result in 400 million tonnes of CO 2 abatement by 2050.

As a large developing economy with over 1.3 billion people, India’s climate adaptation and mitigation ambitions are not just transformational for India but for the entire planet. NITI Aayog and IEA are committed to work together to enable India to grow, industrialize and provide a better quality of life to its citizens without the need to carbonize.

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India @ 2030: India's journey to become $5 trillion economy will depend on the pace of reforms

• Byline: Surabhi
• Producer: Arnav Das Sharma

As India strives to become a $5-trillion economy by 2030, more inclusive reforms will be necessary for faster growth. The next five years are exciting for the economy—providing both fresh possibilities and new challenges

Five years is not a very long time. But neither is it too short. It’s roughly the same time span in which a teenage child transforms into an adult or certain trees take to mature and bear fruit. For democracies too, five years means new governments, new policies and economic cycles. 

The same holds true for India. As the fastest-growing major economy in the world—with an estimated growth rate of more than 7% over two straight years—it has ambitions of turning into a $5-trillion economy over the next few years. But it has to address a number of challenges—from sustaining economic growth through more policy reforms, creation of adequate physical infrastructure, boosting private sector investments, meeting the health and nutritional needs of a growing population, finding adequate jobs for its workforce, and mitigating the risks of climate change.

Meanwhile, the global geopolitical landscape is in for a reset with national elections in as many as 50 countries this year. According to US-based think tank Integrity Institute, in 2024, as many as 83 elections (national or otherwise) are being held across 78 countries; this means these polls would impact the lives of nearly half the world’s population who collectively reside there. “We won’t see that many again until 2048. What also makes 2024 special is not just the number of countries but the fact that for the first time, you will have a US presidential election in the same year as elections in major countries such as India, Indonesia, Ukraine, Taiwan, Mexico, the UK, and the European Parliament,” it noted. (See graphic ‘Poll Fever’.) 

What India will be in 2029 will in a large part be shaped by the next government that comes to power after the General Elections this year; the new government will lay down the key priorities for the next five years as well as the policy prescriptions that are required. 

A bright spot 

The India story continues to be a bright spot for the international community, which is yet to fully recover from the impact of the pandemic, as well as the two ongoing wars and the Red Sea conflict. (See graphic ‘Shining Bright’.) 

According to Christian de Guzman, Senior Vice President at Moody’s Investors Service, the agency expects India to be one of the fastest-growing—if not the fastest—G20 economies over the next five years, largely based on its ability to weather the lacklustre near-term outlook for global growth due to its large consumption-based economy, boosted by the government’s efforts to improve productivity via reforms and infrastructure development. “Over the longer-term, India also stands to benefit from favourable demographics in contrast to the ageing populations in other large economies, including China. At the same time, this relatively favourable view assumes that India will sustain broad financial stability and gradual fiscal consolidation—areas that have previously weighed on the country’s potential growth and sovereign credit profile,” he says. 

In a recent report, brokerage Morgan Stanley also highlighted India’s strong fundamentals. It said that the country’s nominal GDP growth will accelerate to 11.6% this year, making it the third consecutive year that India’s nominal GDP growth will be the strongest in Asia. India’s contribution to Asian and global growth will rise to 30% and 17%, respectively, up from 28% and 16% in 2023. “Over the medium term, our Chief India Economist Upasana Chachra forecasts that real GDP growth will average 6.3% until FY32,” it noted. The brokerage expects the investment to GDP ratio to rise to 33.5% by FY25, and to 36% by FY27. 

Challenges ahead 

However, it’s not all smooth sailing. Despite continuous efforts by successive governments, challenges remain. More reforms are needed to further improve the ease of doing business by ensuring faster regulatory clearances, say experts. The notification of the long-pending four Labour Codes, further land reforms, a national e-commerce policy as well as regulation of the digital economy are some of the pending items on the policy reform table. 

Arun Singh, Global Chief Economist at research firm Dun & Bradstreet, points out that India is well on its way to becoming a $5-trillion economy. “We should now target becoming a $10-trillion economy. For this, a lot more capital and reforms are needed to bring in global investors,” he says. India still needs to improve its physical infrastructure and raise the foreign investment ceiling in various sectors as well as privatise the non-performing, non-strategic central public sector undertakings, he says. 

Arun Singh Global Chief Economist Dun and Bradstreet

“Land and labour reforms also have to be taken forward. The government needs to review the administrative machinery to ensure faster clearances. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code needs to be reviewed for quicker resolutions. We need to create more formal sector jobs and improve the LFPR (labour force participation rate), especially with regard to the female workforce. More MSMEs have to be brought into the formal economy,” says Singh, adding that some of these reforms are structural in nature and could take longer than five years. 

According to de Guzman of Moody’s, challenges to the economy include its significant exposure to environmental and social risks. In particular, the relatively large share of the labour force involved in agriculture renders the broader economy susceptible to climate shocks, such as irregular monsoons, flooding, as well as heat and water stress, he says. Low and unevenly distributed incomes, as well as unequal access to high-quality education and other basic services, could also impair progress towards sustaining high growth over the medium- to long term, if not addressed. 

“Moreover, India’s investment climate and regulatory quality-while having shown significant improvement over the past decade-remain weak when compared to many of its emerging market peers, although gains in addressing other shortcomings such as poor infrastructure have contributed to the resilience of growth in recent years,” says de Guzman. 

India is hoping to significantly raise the share of manufacturing in GDP in the coming years from about 17% at present to 25% in the coming years. Efforts are already underway and some headway seems to have been made through measures such as production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for 14 sectors. The scheme is yet to fully take off with just Rs 4,415 crore of incentives disbursed and Rs 1.03 lakh crore of investments. Physical infrastructure-in terms of both capacity addition and modernisation as well as new projects-is also a key focus area with a budgeted capex of Rs 10 lakh crore this fiscal. 

As many as 248.2 million people have moved out of multidimensional poverty in the nine years to 2022-23, according to a recent NITI Aayog report. However, ensuring adequate social infrastructure-healthcare and education-will remain a key priority for the government as well as further bridging the financial inclusion divide by providing not only banking services, but also adequate credit investment and insurance options to the bottom of the pyramid. Sustainability and green energy are two other areas the government will have to focus on to ensure that India remains ahead in emerging technologies such as green hydrogen. Plus, there are also challenges from emerging digital technologies in the field of AI and machine learning. 

The following pages delve into some of these themes to identify and chart out an agenda and aspiration of what India at 2029 should and can be. One thing is for sure: it will be one interesting journey. 

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In Depth- India's Sustainable Development Goals

• 05 Jan 2019
• GS Paper - 2
• Inclusive Growth
• Growth & Development
• Government Policies & Interventions

In 2015, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 193 member countries, including India, got committed to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals that require efforts to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change while ensuring that no one was left behind.

India played a significant role in making the declaration and its progress in achieving these goals are crucial for the world as it is home to about 17% of the world population. The SDG India index, released by the NITI Aayog and the United Nations, shows that the nation has a score of 58, a little beyond halfway mark in meeting the target set for 2030.

What are SDG goals?

• The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were born at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro in 2012.
• The objective was to produce a set of universal goals that meet the urgent environmental, political and economic challenges facing the world.
• The SDGs are a bold commitment to finish what the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) started, and tackle some of the more pressing challenges.
• All 17 Goals interconnect, success in one-goal motivates for the success of others.
• For example, dealing with the threat of climate change impacts how we manage our fragile natural resources, achieving gender equality or better health helps eradicate poverty, and fostering peace and inclusive societies will reduce inequalities and help economies prosper.

Why focus on Sustainable Development?

• "Sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.
• The focus of sustainable development is far broader than just the environment. It's also about ensuring a strong, healthy and just society.
• This means meeting the diverse needs of all people in existing and future communities, promoting personal wellbeing, social cohesion, and inclusion, and creating equal opportunity.
• The rampant growth of industry had adversely affected the environment and is also against the ethos of sustainable development.
• In 2018 itself we are 1.1 degrees above the pre-industrial temperature already. And if the greenhouse emissions are not drastically cut then by the end of the century the rise of the temperature could be 3—3.5 degree. Such an increase would have an irreversible and catastrophic impact across the world.

SDG India Index - Baseline Report 2018

• NITI Aayog undertook the extensive exercise of measuring India and its States’ progress towards the SDGs for 2030, culminating in the development of the first SDG India Index - Baseline Report 2018.
• The SDG India Index is intended to provide a holistic view of the social, economic and environmental status of the country and its States and UTs.
• It has been designed to provide an aggregate assessment of the performance of all Indian States and UTs and to help leaders and change makers evaluate their performance on social, economic and environmental parameters.
• The Index has been constructed spanning across 13 out of 17 SDGs (leaving out Goals 12, 13, 14 and 17).
• It tracks the progress of all the States and Union Territories ( UTs ) on a set of 62 National Indicators, measuring their progress on the outcomes of interventions and schemes of the Government of India.
• The SDG Index Score for Sustainable Development Goals 2030 ranges between 42 and 69 for States and between 57 and 68 for UTs .

Performance of States

• Among the States, Kerala and Himachal Pradesh are the front runners with an SDG India Index score of 69. Among the UTs, Chandigarh is a front-runner with a score of 68.
• Kerala’s top rank is attributed to its superior performance in providing good health, reducing hunger, achieving gender equality and providing quality education.
• Himachal Pradesh ranks high in providing clean water and sanitation, in reducing inequalities and preserving mountain ecosystem.
• Among the UTs, Chandigarh takes the lead because of its exemplary performance in providing clean water and sanitation to its people.
• On the other hand states like Assam, Bihar and UP have featured badly in the index as their score was below 49.
• The Index can be useful to States/UTs in assessing their starting point on the SDGs in the following ways, by
• Supporting States/UTs to benchmark their progress against national targets and performance of their peers to understand the reasons for differential performance and devise better strategies to achieve the SDGs by 2030
• Supporting States/UTs to identify priority areas in which they need to invest and improve by enabling them to measure incremental progress.
• Highlighting data gaps related across SDGs for India to develop its statistical systems at the national and State levels.

SDGs and India’s Commitment

• India introduces BS-VI petrol and diesel.
• Delhi will be the first city to leapfrog from BS-IV to BS-VI.
• 13 major cities like Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, etc. will make the shift from 1st Jan 2019.
• The rest of the country will make the change from April 2020 next year.
• India has pledged to eliminate all single-use plastic in the country by 2022.
• ISA is a group of 121 solar rich countries which are situated either on or between the tropics.
• Aims to deploy over 1000 GW of solar energy and mobilize more than $1000 billion into solar power by 2030.
• To reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 33 to 35 percent by 2030 from 2005 level.
• To achieve about 40 percent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel based energy resources by 2030, with the help of transfer of technology and low-cost international finance, including from Green Climate Fund.
• To create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.

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The Future of India in 2030: A Comprehensive Economic and Energy Outlook

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Economic Ascendancy: India as the Third Largest Economy

Energy Dynamics: Challenges and Opportunities

Industrial growth, energy intensity, and the role of the service sector.

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Decarbonising India: Charting a pathway for sustainable growth

At COP26, India announced its ambition to become a net-zero emitter by 2070—an important milestone in the fight against climate change. Despite low per-capita emissions (1.8 tons CO 2 ), India is the third-largest emitter globally, emitting a net 2.9 gigatons of carbon-dioxide equivalent (GtCO 2 e) every year as of 2019. The bulk of these emissions (about 70 percent) are driven by six sectors: power, steel, automotive, aviation, cement, and agriculture.

In this report, we propose more than 100 decarbonisation levers across these key sectors and take a deeper look at four cross-cutting decarbonisation opportunities: green hydrogen; carbon capture, usage, and storage (CCUS); natural climate solutions; and material circularity. We modeled outcomes on India’s net-zero journey along two scenarios: first, the current line-of-sight (LoS) scenario with current (and announced) policies and foreseeable technology adoption; and second, the accelerated scenario with far-reaching polices like carbon pricing and accelerated technology adoption, including technologies like CCUS. Our analysis shows that the benefits of a well-planned, orderly, accelerated transition could outweigh the downsides, given India’s growth outlook.

India has the potential to create 287 gigatons of carbon space for the world. This amounts to almost half of the global carbon budget for an even chance at limiting warming to 1.5°C. The current pace of emissions intensity reduction is insufficient for India’s emissions curve to bend with the expected growth outlook. In the LoS scenario, India could reduce annual emissions from a historical trajectory of 11.8 GtCO 2 e to 1.9 GtCO 2 e by 2070, a 90 percent reduction in economic emissions intensity compared with 2019. It can reach 0.4 GtCO 2 e by 2050 in the accelerated scenario (Exhibit 1), with a potential to get to its net-zero-by-2070 commitment through new technology developments (such as direct air capture) over the next few decades.

LoS scenario reductions are challenging, and the accelerated scenario reductions even more so. There are emerging tailwinds in the form of reducing costs of renewables and electric vehicles (EVs), and the progressive policies being implemented (for example, the implicit carbon tax on transportation fuels of $140 to $240/ton CO 2 e) are helping the electrification of mobility. Yet, several other actions with significant scale-up potential are needed (Exhibit 2). For example: renewable capacity addition needs to increase from ten gigawatts (GW) to 40–50 GW per year; a hydrogen cost reduction and carbon price of $50/ton CO 2 is needed by 2030 to make green steel competitive (could lead to 211 metric tons (Mt) of steel capacity being built on the low-carbon hydrogen route instead of the coal route by 2045); battery costs have to decline by 40 percent by 2030 and green hydrogen by two-thirds by 2035; a nationwide rollout of charging infrastructure is needed; farmers have to adopt new practices for rice cultivation; targets for circularity have to be met and higher targets set.

Eight important messages underlie this report. Read and download the executive summary.

There is an urgency to prepare India for an orderly and accelerated decarbonisation within the current decade. Over three-fourths of the India of 2050 (and 80-plus percent of the India of 2070) is yet to be built. Developing this robust infrastructure in India will multiply demand across sectors: power (eightfold), steel (eightfold), cement (threefold), auto (threefold), and food (twofold). If policies are set in place to create the right demand signals within this decade, then India could add low-carbon capacities in the next two decades thereafter. For example, a carbon price of $50 per Mt by 2030 makes green steel competitive (could lead to 211 Mt of steel capacity being built on the low-carbon hydrogen route instead of the coal blast furnace route by 2045).

India benefits from an orderly transition. India’s transition from thermal power to renewables is expected to decrease the average cost of power supply from INR 6.15 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in financial year 2020 to INR 5.25 per kWh and INR 5.4 per kWh by 2050 in the LoS and accelerated scenarios, respectively (Exhibit 3). 1 Full system cost of power including costs (factoring in reasonable returns and system losses) for generation, transmission, and distribution. The corresponding cost of power generation is INR 3.9 per kilowatt-hour. Sustainable-farming practices could help generate additional farmer income of INR 3,400 per hectare/year in the LoS scenario, which could increase to INR 4,800 per hectare/year in the accelerated scenario. India may save a cumulative $1.7 trillion in the foreign exchange, which may otherwise be spent on energy imports until 2070. In addition, India will have the opportunity to build itself right the first time, minimizing asset stranding. Finally, if India can start manufacturing in newer technologies, it has the potential to be a world leader in batteries, electrolyzers, green steel, and other areas.

Energy system shifts. Fossil fuels, which comprise 75 percent of India’s commercial energy mix today, decline to one-half in the LoS scenario and to one-sixth in the accelerated scenario by 2050 (Exhibit 4). In the accelerated scenario, over 60 percent of India’s refining capacity, 90 percent of its coal mining capacity, and 100 percent of its coal power generation would not be needed. Tax collections from auto fuel could decline to $36 billion by 2050 (from $85 billion currently). Ensuring resources are used appropriately will be vital. For example, the biomass currently being used by households for cooking, and which in future can be used for thermal-power generation, might potentially need to be directed to hard-to-abate sectors like cement.

Pressure on land systems. In the accelerated scenario, growth and decarbonisation combined may require 45 million more hectares of land than is available, of which nearly ten million hectares would be needed for renewable power and eight million for carbon sinks and forests. Innovative land optimization techniques such as maximizing barren land use for renewable power, vertical urbanization, and improved agricultural productivity would be needed to ensure sufficient land for decarbonisation.

Moderate impact on household spending and jobs. A critical consideration is the impact of the accelerated decarbonisation on Indian household spending and jobs. We estimate that by 2040, the increases in housing costs resulting from decarbonisation would, for the most part, be balanced by the limited impact on food costs (excluding impact on yields from direct climate change) and decrease in the costs of energy and transport, assuming an orderly transition. If the transition is disorderly (that is, if the initiatives are carried out at the wrong time or incorrectly), the economically disadvantaged would suffer a more adverse impact. Accelerated decarbonisation could transform over 30 million jobs (24 million new jobs could be created while six million existing jobs could be lost) by 2050. While important, the scale of workforce reallocation may be smaller than that from other macro trends (for example, 60 million new workers entering the workforce by 2030). That said, specific communities (such as coal mining and associated enterprises in Eastern India) could be adversely impacted, requiring support, reskilling, and alternative industrial development in particular areas.

Large funding needed (3.5–6 percent of GDP), frontloaded, but ‘in the money.’ India may need an estimated $7.2 trillion of green investments until 2050 to decarbonise in the LoS scenario and an additional $4.9 trillion in the accelerated scenario. Fifty percent of the investments needed for abatement between the LoS and the accelerated scenario is in the money, particularly across the renewable-energy, auto, and agriculture sectors; other sectors would likely need policy support from the government. The net spend (capex minus opex) will need to be frontloaded. As an illustration, net of operational savings, $1.8 trillion would be needed from 2030–40 and $600 billion from 2040–50 between the LoS and accelerated scenarios.

All stakeholders need to come together and act now to accelerate India’s decarbonisation. The government could provide policy and regulatory support to make projects across sectors economically viable. These could include providing incentives for the use of EVs and fuel cell EVs by balancing taxation, simplifying regulations for authorizing and installing new power and grid installations, creating demand signals for higher-cost green materials like steel, and generating support for localizing electrolyzer manufacturing. Support would also be required to ensure a just transition that minimizes impact on low-income households. These actions need to happen in the right sequence to avoid energy shortages, price increases, and transition disorderliness.

Achieving technological breakthroughs would require consistent public and private investment. It would also require willingness among business leaders and policy makers to adopt new technologies, for example, long-duration storage technologies to capture seasonality of renewable sources, advancement in fuel cell technology, and improvements in recycling technologies.

Against this backdrop, we propose the following ten actions to accelerate India's decarbonisation:

• Lay out a detailed medium-term decarbonisation plan with sector-specific priorities and policy frameworks that account for interdependencies across sectors and provide demand signals to guide corporates to invest.
• Accelerate implementation of a compliance carbon market (within three years). This would also require the creation of demand signals, especially in hard-to-abate sectors, and incentives linked to investments in newer technologies like CCUS.
• Enable banks to support the transition, catalyzed by a green-transition bank. Banks could be asked to come up with their investment glide paths within one to two years and build the necessary capability for assessing risks in these new spaces.
• Accelerate renewable adoption in the power sector to scale up capacity addition by four times and to deepen market reforms with a 30-year outlook in a manner that ensures a stable grid fed predominantly by infirm power.
• Empower a nodal authority to define a national land-use plan. Lay clear land-use guidelines for optimized use across urbanization, industrial needs, carbon sinks, agriculture, and renewables.
• Create a resilient indigenous manufacturing capability and increase investment in cleantech R&D. Efforts would be needed to develop local raw-material resources (such as rare earths), secure materials from elsewhere in the world, and produce equipment locally through mechanisms like production-linked incentive (PLI).
• Evaluate five carbon capture and storage hubs in Gujarat (Jamnagar), Odisha (Paradeep), Rajasthan (Barmer), Maharashtra (Pune), and Andhra Pradesh (Vizag) potentially in public–private partnership for utilization and storage of captured carbon.
• Create a national circularity mission with recycling hubs in the top 20 Indian cities (contributing 35 percent of municipal solid waste), mandated targets on recycling rates, recycled raw-material use (for example, blending norms), and landfill levies.
• Enhance the National Hydrogen Mission with government playing a key role in accelerating demand through blending mandates, boosting cost competitiveness via capital subsidies and R&D investments, and enabling export opportunities via international trade agreements.
• Empower companies to play on the front foot, evaluating investment opportunities that this green trend will unlock, aligned with India’s national plans or opportunities opened up by decarbonisation of other countries (for example, green-hydrogen derivative exports).

India needs to take thoughtful actions now to set itself up for an accelerated and orderly transition. Looking beyond the short term and laying the foundation for this transformation within this next decade is the imperative for a decarbonised India and world.

Rajat Gupta is a senior partner in McKinsey’s Mumbai office, where Divy Malik is an associate partner, and Shirish Sankhe is a senior partner; Naveen Unni is a partner in the Chennai office.

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India, home to one-sixth of all humanity, holds the key to the success of the 2030 Agenda. India in its second VNR has made a paradigm shift to a “whole-of-society” approach with Government of India engaging sub-national and local governments, civil society organizations, local communities, people in vulnerable situations and the private sector.

India’s commitment to the SDGs is reflected in its convergence with the national development agenda as reflected in the motto of Sabka Saath Sabka Vikaas (Collective Efforts for Inclusive Growth). Based on the evidence from the SDG India Index, which measures progress at the subnational level, the country has developed a robust SDG localization model centered on adoption, implementation and monitoring at the State and district levels.

The following narrative further encapsulates India’s progress across the SDGs.

Sashakt Bharat - Sabal Bharat (Empowered and Resilient India) : India has successfully lifted more than 271 million people out of multidimensional poverty through economic growth and empowerment. Enhanced access to nutrition, child health, education, sanitation, drinking water, electricity and housing, has led to reduced inequalities especially among people in vulnerable situations.

Swachh Bharat - Swasth Bharat (Clean and Healthy India) : Through a nationwide initiative triggered by the Clean India Campaign and the National Nutrition Mission, India achieved 100% rural sanitation and sharp reduction in stunting and child and maternal mortality rates. Universal health coverage has been institutionalized through Ayushmaan Bharat, the world’s largest health protection scheme which provides an annual cover of USD 7,000 to 100 million families, covering nearly 500 million individuals.

India is at the forefront in the call for joint global action to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The country has extended medical assistance to several countries and has operationalized the SAARC COVID-19 Emergency Fund with an initial contribution of USD 10 million. Domestically, India’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic includes an initial USD 22.5 billion economic stimulus package, comprehensive health coverage for front-line workers and direct cash transfers for the most vulnerable.

Samagra Bharat - Saksham Bharat (Inclusive and Entrepreneurial India) : Social inclusion is pursued through universalizing access to nutrition, health, education, social protection, and developing capabilities for entrepreneurship and employment. Financial inclusion through Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) trinity – near universal access to bank accounts aided by the Jan Dhan Yojana (National Financial Inclusion Scheme); Aadhaar card (National unique identity number) for over 90% of the population; and expansive access to mobile phones, has propelled new avenues of credit, insurance, and Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) to the poor, including to over 200 million women, thereby accelerating their economic empowerment.

Satat Bharat – Sanatan Bharat (Sustainable India) : India’s climate action strategies call for clean and efficient energy systems, disaster resilient infrastructure, and planned eco-restoration. Acting on its nationally-determined contributions, India has electrified 100% of its villages, reduced 38 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually through energy efficient appliances, provided clean cooking fuel to 80 million poor households, and set a target to install 450GW of renewable energy and restore 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030. Globally, India stands third in renewable power, fourth in wind power, and fifth in solar power. India launched the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure and the International Solar Alliance to leverage global partnerships for climate action and disaster resilience.

Sampanna Bharat- Samriddh Bharat (Prosperous and Vibrant India) : India is one of the fastest growing emerging market economies with a young population and burgeoning innovation and business ecosystem. With a GDP of USD 2.72 trillion in 2018-19, India strives to become a USD 5 trillion economy by 2025, and pursue an inclusive and sustainable growth trajectory by stimulating manufacturing, building infrastructure, spurring investments, fostering technological innovation, and boosting entrepreneurship.

In the spirit of South-South Cooperation, for realizing the 2030 Agenda, India supports developing countries through the USD 150 million India-UN Development Partnership Fund. In this spirit of regional and global partnerships, and the country’s commitment to ‘leave no one behind’, India steps into the Decade of Action, drawing confidence from its experience in addressing challenges. Government of India will continue to work collaboratively with all domestic and global stakeholders to accelerate efforts for a sustainable planet for future generations.

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• Rapid growth (SDG 8) is the key weapon in any country’s arsenal for combating poverty. On the one hand, it creates well-paid jobs that empower households by giving them necessary purchasing power to access food, clothing, housing, education and health. On the other, it places ever-rising revenues in the hands of the Government to finance social spending. India has continued its programme of economic reforms to achieve sustained rapid growth. The reforms have included fiscal consolidation, inflation targeting, improved governance all around, accelerated infrastructure development (SDG 9), curbing of corruption (SDG 16), Aadhaar Act, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Act, Goods and Services Tax (GST), further liberalization of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), closure of sick Public Sector Units and much more. The result has been that, today, India is the fastest growing large economy in the world. It grew 7.9 per cent during fiscal year 2015-16 and 7.1 per cent during 2016-17. Growth has brought increased volume of revenues, which have permitted the Government to sustain a high-level of social spending that directly targets poverty, as described immediately below.
• An important strategy for achieving this goal is focused on generating meaningful employment by developing agricultural infrastructure, productive assets and entrepreneurship-based livelihood opportunities. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), which is sometimes described as the world’s largest cash transfer programme, has generated over 2 billion person-days’ of employment (SDG 8) during the last year. It has helped reduce extreme poverty as well as enhance the infrastructure and purchasing power in rural areas. The benefits have largely been reaped by women (SDG 5) and disadvantaged sections of society (SDG 10). Similarly, the Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Livelihoods Mission provides skilled employment to marginalized communities.
• Further, two major programmes, the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, provide access to life and accident insurance for 130 million subscribers for nominal annual premiums. Additionally, initiatives like the Atal Pension Yojana and the National Social Assistance Programme provide pension to workers in the unorganized sector, widows and the differently abled.
• Another crucial strategy for eliminating poverty is ensuring access to basic services. In the area of education, there is a National Mission, which is focused on providing universal access to quality primary education. Moreover, the Right to Education Act has established an effective legal framework entitling all children (6-14 years) to free and compulsory education based on principles of equity and non-discrimination. Similarly, the National Health Mission and the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) initiatives strive to provide access to primary health care and nutrition for the population.
• India is committed to ensuring housing for all by 2022. To enable the achievement of this objective, the Prime Minister’s Housing Scheme provides direct financial assistance to poor households.
• For fulfilling the cooking fuel requirements of the population in an environmentally friendly manner, the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, launched in 2016, aims to provide Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to poor families with initial financial support for accessing a connection. The programme has enabled the provision of more than 20 million LPG connections since its launch a year ago.
• Providing access to adequate and safe drinking water as well as sanitation is crucial. Under the National Rural Drinking Water Programme, more than 77% of the rural habitations have been fully covered with 40 litres of drinking water per capita on a daily basis. The objective of the Clean India Movement is to ensure an Open Defecation Free India by 2019. Over the last two years, more than 39 million household toilets have been constructed. Moreover, 193,000 villages and 531 cities have been successful in ending the practice of open defecation. The Movement also focuses on bringing about sustained behaviour change through the engagement of a range of stakeholders, including religious and political leaders.
• Programmes under the National Food Security Act cover more than 800 million people in the country. The Public Distribution System, for instance, is one of the largest food security initiatives in the world. In recognition of empirical evidence that women pay greater attention to household security, the Government has chosen to issue ration cards in the name of the senior most female member of the household. Other initiatives that contribute to this goal are the ICDS and the Mid-Day Meal Programme. The latter provides nutritious cooked meals to 100 million children in primary schools.
• Governance reforms are being undertaken for improving the effectiveness of food security programmes. These include digitization of ration cards, leveraging Aadhaar for authenticated delivery of benefits and an online grievance redressal mechanism.
• Further, the National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture in collaboration with other stakeholders is implementing climate change adaptation strategies for sustaining agricultural productivity. Since 2014, the land under organic farming has increased to 200,000 ha. Additionally, over 62 million Soil Health Cards, with crop-wise nutrient management advisories, have been issued.
• Moreover, a comprehensive plan is being implemented for doubling farmers’ income by 2022. This includes expediting tenancy reforms, promoting crop diversification and expanding micro-irrigation (1.3 million ha covered during the last two years).
• Another area in which considerable progress has been made is digitization of agricultural marketing. The electronic National Agricultural Marketing platform now covers 250 Mandis (agricultural markets) across the country. A revamped crop insurance programme, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, has also been launched.
• Beyond increasing access, several initiatives are also being taken for improving the quality of health services. These include the development of a composite index and an award for ensuring a hygienic environment in Government health facilities.
• The National Health Policy, 2017, specifies targets for universalizing primary health care, reducing infant and under-5 mortality, preventing premature deaths due to non-communicable diseases as well as increasing Government expenditure on health.
• To tackle the death of children due to vaccine-preventable diseases and the risk due to incomplete immunization, the Government is aiming to provide vaccination against diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, tuberculosis, polio, measles and hepatitis to all unimmunized or partially immunized children by 2020.
• As a step towards achieving universal health coverage, the Government of India has announced a health insurance cover to the tune of INR 100,000 (USD 1,563) for families below the poverty line.
• Several important initiatives have been taken during the last few years for promoting gender equality. A flagship initiative is Beti Bachao Beti Padao (Save the Girl Child Educate the Girl Child), under which State Governments are implementing a range of measures suited to their local contexts to elevate the status of the girl child.
• Additionally, a Maternity Benefit Programme has been launched for all pregnant and lactating mothers. Through conditional cash transfer, it protects women from wage loss during the first six months after childbirth.
• For raising the levels of female labour force participation, a number of initiatives are being implemented including Stand-up India and MGNREGA. The Women Empowerment Campaign is another effort focused on enabling digital literacy and gainful employment opportunities.
• Further, Women Empowerment Centres are being established for providing comprehensive services at the village-level.
• All forms of transportation -- roads, railways, civil aviation and waterways -- are being rapidly expanded. Road connectivity and electricity are being brought to all villages.
• The objective of the Digital India initiative is to build a digitally empowered society by focusing on broadband highways, mobile connectivity and Internet as well as e-Governance. For example, the Bharat Broadband Network Ltd has provided high-speed connectivity to 18,434 local village councils, thus far. Till December 2016, there were 432 million internet users in the country.
• Another priority area is manufacturing. The new Manufacturing Policy raises the output target from 16% of GDP to 25% by 2025. India is developing into a high-tech and global manufacturing hub because of the emphasis on ‘Make in India’ and a substantial increase in FDI inflows.
• The Government has also introduced a number of policy measures for boosting employment-intensive manufacturing segments. For instance, the recently introduced Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana provides easy credit ranging from INR 50,000 to 1 million (USD 780 to 15,600) to small-scale business entrepreneurs. A major package announced for the textiles industry aims to create hundreds of thousands of jobs in this sector.
• For promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing economic growth, the Government has launched the Start-up India programme. Innovation and entrepreneurship is also being encouraged through initiatives like the Atal Innovation Mission. Additionally, NITI Aayog has launched the India Innovation Index for ranking innovations in the country.
• Several strategies have been put in place for realizing the Blue Revolution in the country. These include strengthening marine research, developing an eco-friendly marine industrial and technology base as well as implementing the National Fisheries Action Plan.
• Significant progress has been made with respect to preservation and management of the marine ecosystem. For instance, the Coastal Ocean Monitoring and Prediction System tracks the levels of marine pollution along the coastline. Additionally, the Online Oil Spill Advisory System enhances the effectiveness of the national response to marine oil spills. India is also implementing the revised National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan.
• Further, the Sagarmala programme is focused on improving port connectivity, port-linked industrialization and coastal community development. Under this initiative, support is also provided for the development of deep sea fishing vessels and fish processing centres.
• A revitalized global partnership is crucial for the achievement of the SDGs. India is committed to taking measurable actions for implementing the SDG agenda. We also reaffirm the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. This is important because while efforts at raising resources domestically will help India move closer to the attainment of the SDGs, they are unlikely to result in sufficient revenues. Therefore, we reiterate that the developed countries have an essential obligation to provide financial assistance to the developing countries, especially for global public goods such as climate change mitigation and control of pandemics, so that they can fully achieve the SDGs. International cooperation is also essential for curbing illicit financial flows, defining aid unambiguously and establishing robust systems for monitoring commitments made by donor countries.
• For increasing the domestic mobilization of resources, a path-breaking tax reform agenda is being finalized. This includes direct tax reforms as well as the GST, a uniform and simplified form of indirect taxation. An innovative tax like the Swachh Bharat Cess (Clean India Cess) has also been levied for mobilizing resources for the Clean India Campaign.
• Financing of sustainable sources of energy is being promoted to provide energy for all by 2022 through a massive 150 GW increase in energy from renewables. Enhanced international cooperation is also being fostered through the leadership of the International Solar Alliance.
• Further, consistent policies have opened up the economy to FDI. This has resulted in $156 billion FDI flow during the last three fiscal years. The flow of $56 billion in the latest fiscal year has been larger than that in any other year.
• The 14th Finance Commission award is being implemented to substantially enhance fiscal devolution to States (from 32% to 42% of the central pool of tax proceeds) and Local Governments. This is enabling a significant spurt in development interventions designed and implemented independently by sub-national Governments.
• Enhancing development cooperation with neighbouring and other countries of the global South brings India’s innovation and expertise to the service of these countries. For instance, launching of the South Asia Satellite will lead to sharing of valuable data with neighbouring countries including Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Afghanistan.
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The National Policy on Marine Fisheries 2017 of Government of India provides for several schemes for small fishermen to enhance their skill and livelihood and to provide accidental insurance to them and their families. Activities undertaken under the National Scheme of Welfare of Fishermen aim to enhance livelihood and quality of life of small fishermen below poverty line. As part of the scheme, grant-in-aid is provided for the development of model fishermen villages with basic amenities like housing, drinking water, sanitation, community hall building etc. The scheme also includes a group...[more]

Over 90% of the world cargo is mobilized trans-oceanically and nearly 10 billion tones of ballast water is filled at one part of the ocean and discharged at the other. In doing so it introduces vide range of living organisms, including pathogens, into alien regions, usually along the coasts of the continents. These organisms can establish and invade an environment, if found suitable and pose economic and human health hazards. Many cases of marine bio-invasion have been reported and their harmful effects on the ecosystem and human health have been documented. Therefore marine bio-invasion has b...[more]

Launched in October 2009, the 12.5-kilometer (7.8-mile) Phase 1 corridor has proven to be popular with citizens, and ridership remains higher than on the previous bus system. Source: Institute for Transportation & Development Policy Since opening, the system has expanded to 31 km (19.3 mi) and ridership has more than doubled to nearly 60,000 passengers per day. Over 40 percent of the passengers switched from motorized two- and three- wheelers, while the remainder switched from the existing city bus service. ITDP, in partnership with CEPT University, assisted the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporatio...[more]

As part of India's commitment to international cooperation, especially south-south cooperation, India has been sharing its expertise and experience on oceanography with our partner countries. In the Indian Ocean region, the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (ESSO-INCOIS) is one of the few centres providing value added and comprehensive ocean-service products to a vast array of users (from fishermen folk to marine industries). INCOIS relies heavily on advances in satellite oceanography, modeling capabilities, and vast in-situ observation networks. INCOIS focus areas are m...[more]

South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP) is an inter-governmental Organization, established in 1982 by Governments of the eight South Asian countries to promote and support protection, management and enhancement of the environment in the region. Countries, namely; Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have ratified the articles of Association of SACEP. It is also registered with the Secretariat of the United Nations as Multilateral Organization in accordance with under the Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations. SACEP has its hea...[more]

India initiated its Arctic Research Program in 2007 with thrust on climate change in the circumpolar north. The major objectives of the Indian Research in Arctic Region are as follows:  To study the hypothesized tele-connections between the Arctic climate and the Indian monsoon by analyzing the sediment and ice core records from the Arctic glaciers and the Arctic Ocean.  To characterize sea ice in Arctic using satellite data to estimate the effect of global warming in the northern polar region.  To conduct research on the dynamics and mass budget of Arcti...[more]

India is using remote sensing space technology for specific mapping applications of oceans and seas. India is one the few countries which have built and launched satellites specifically for Ocean applications. OceanSat-I or IRS-P4 and Oceansat-II were designed to and launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to study oceans and the linkages between oceans and atmosphere. The applications of these satellites included : Sea-state forecast: waves, circulation and ocean MLD (Mixed Layer Depth); Monsoon and cyclone forecast - medium and extended range; Observation of Antarctic ...[more]

India's coastline is over 7500 km long, of which around 5400 km is in mainland and over 2000 km is in the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands. India's coastline supports more than 30% of its population. Coastal fisheries are linked to economic and environmental health. Coastal vegetation habitats are important for the health of coastal ecological systems through their modulation of land-ocean modulation, providing nutrients for marine life, supporting biodiversity and preventing salt intrusion into ground water. Well managed coastal beaches can also promote sustainable economic developme...[more]

Development of Early Warning System, Science based fishing to lower cost and diesel consumption, establish two way communication for capturing observations and feedback. Partnership approach to take research output to last mile. Also looking at deep sea communication methods. We have developed an ICT platform for fishermen to help them get the information on Potential Fishing Zone (PFZ), Wind Speed and Direction, Wave height, etc. PFZ helps them to decide the nearest location where they should go for fishing and if the location is not nearby, the fishermen tend to avoid go for the fishin...[more]

The IHO capacity building programme seeks to assess and advise on how countries can best meet their international obligations and serve their own best interests by providing appropriate hydrographic and nautical charting services. Such services directly support safety of navigation, safety of life at sea, efficient sea transportation and the wider use of the seas and oceans in a sustainable way, including the protection of the marine environment, coastal zone management, fishing, marine resource exploration and exploitation, maritime boundary delimitation, maritime defence and security, and o...[more]

India is spending over US $ 3.5 billion each year on health services, with substantial expenditure on services aimed towards women’s and children’s health. Currently, India is focusing on strengthening its efforts in the 264 districts that account for nearly 70% of all infant and maternal deaths. Between now and 2015, India will provide technical assistance to other countries and share its experience, and will support the creation of a platform for global knowledge management to oversee the dissemination of best practices.

More than 30% of India's population lives along its more than 7500 km long coastline. Fishing is a major economic activity and India is the third largest producer of fish and second largest producer of inland fish. Locating and catching fish is always a challenging task. India's scientists dealing with marine sciences, remote sensing and fishery science have collaborated to develop a technique to use the remotely sensed sea surface temperature (SST) to identify the locations of fish aggregation. The Potential Fishing Zone (PFZ) as a proxy to potential shoals of fish aggregation will benefit...[more]

The Agenda 21 adopted by UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in 1992 emphasised the need to adopt the concept of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) for sustainable utilisation of coastal and marine resources and prevention of degradation of marine environment. This is best achieved through integration of activities prevalent in the land, coastal and marine areas. Monitoring the health of coastal sea is essential to assess the status of environmental quality and to alert government and public institutions for their implications relating to fisheries and other human rela...[more]

As a highly vulnerable city to major natural disasters, Mumbai has experienced several major extreme weather events within the past decade that have effectively brought the city to a standstill and caused severe human and economic losses. In response to the growing need for a contingency plan, the city of Mumbai drafted the Disaster Risk Management Master Plan that outlines the city's commitment to mitigating future risk and damages that could potentially result through future natural disasters. Source: Shanghai Manual: A Guide for Sustainable Urban Development in the 21st Century (2010) ...[more]

India's National Action Plan on Climate Change from 2008 is integrated into its 5-year development planning cycles. Source: The National Action Plan on Climate Change identifies measures that promote India's development objectives while also yielding co-benefits for addressing climate change effectively. It outlines a number of steps to simultaneously advance India's development and climate change-related objectives of adaptation and mitigation. There are Eight National Missions which form the core of the National Action Plan, representing multi-pronged, long-term and integrated strategies f...[more]

India's Natural Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) launched in 2006, is a Guaranteed Wage Employment program implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development. In its first two-and-a-half years, NREGA generated more than 3.5 billion days of work reaching on average 30 million families per year. Source: World Resources Institute (2011) A Compilation of Green Economy Policies, Programs, and Initiatives from Around the World. The Green Economy in Practice: Interactive Workshop 1, February 11th, 2011 Natural Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) promotes wage employment and natural resource m...[more]

India has a comprehensive and ambitious ocean observing system in the seas around India for acquisition of multidisciplinary data with a view to contributing to scientific knowledge of the oceanographic process of the Indian Ocean. These are being achieved through national contribution and international coordination. The primary purpose of accurate measurements of ocean parameters also contributes to a wide range of operational services including issue of early warnings. These observation systems have been deployed in various parts of the Indian Ocean through national program and internati...[more]

The Ministry of Shipping of Government of India has started Project Green Ports which will help in making the Major Ports across India cleaner and greener and promote environmentally sustainable economic growth. Project Green Ports has two verticals - one is Green Ports Initiatives related to environmental issues and second is Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan (Clean India Initiative). The Green Port Initiatives include twelve initiatives which will be implemented under strict time bound fashion in order to achieve the targets. Some of these initiatives are acquiring equipments required for monito...[more]

Coastal community development is a key component of the ambitious Project Sagarmala (port-led development) launched by the Government of India that has direct benefit to the small and artisanal fishermen. The development of coastal community is a critical area in India as 18% of Indias population lives in 73 coastal districts. Major approaches adopted by Government of India for skill development of coastal community to create jobs for them include:  Promoting skill training programmes for job roles related to ports and maritime sector,  Promoting skill training an...[more]

As part of its continuing commitment to sharing its expertise and experience with fellow developing countries in a spirit of south-south cooperation, India has extensive cooperation with SIDS and several ocean littoral countries in the area of Hydrography surveys. In recent years, detailed hydrographic surveys of the waters of Mauritius and Seychelles have been carried out following signing of bilateral MOUs on Hydrography with both these countries. India has assisted Mauritius in the setting up of the Mauritian National Hydrographic unit. Such cooperative efforts have resulted in updating o...[more]

Fisheries is the fastest growing food producing sector in the world with a great potential to meet the food, especially protein requirement of a large number of population. With an annual growth rate of above 7 per cent, India is the second largest producer of fish from aquaculture in the world. The National Policy on Marine Fisheries 2017 has sustainability of the resources at the core of all actions. The policy framework aims to meet the national, social and economic goals, livelihood sustainability and socio-economic upliftment of the fisher community and is intended to guide the coordina...[more]

The world population is living, working, vacationing, increasingly conglomerating along the coasts, and standing on the front row of the greatest, most unprecedented, plastic waste tide ever faced. Every year, 8 million metric tons of plastic end up in our oceans. There is particular concern in India about the amount of plastic waste it produces which is responsible to impact from the whale, sea lions, and birds to the microscopic organisms called zooplankton. It assumes significance because plastic debris has an impact on oceans, wildlife, and, potentially, humans through the food chain. wea...[more]

In the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, India cooperated with partners in Asia and Africa to establish a regional early warning system within a multi-hazard framework for the generation and communication of early warning information, and capacity building for preparedness and response to trans-boundary hazards. The Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early warning Systems (RIMES) was established in 2009, and registered with the United Nations on 1 July 2009. RIMES operates from its regional early warning center located at the campus of the Asian Institute of Technology in Pathumthani...[more]

India has longstanding tradition of south-south cooperation with fellow developing countries, especially LDCs and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). This cooperation spans a vast range of development partnership activities (including renewable energy, infrastructure, disaster risk reduction, agriculture, fisheries). The Government of India has substantially increased its financial support to SIDS and has pledged a sum of US$ 500 million in grant-in-aid and US$ 1 billion in soft loans over the next three years to SIDS. During the last three years the Government of India has contributed a ...[more]

The great Sumatra earthquake (Mw 9.3) of 26th December, 2004, was rated as the worlds second largest recorded earthquake. This earthquake generated a devastating tsunami, which caused unprecedented loss of life and damage to property in the Indian Ocean rim countries. The tsunami was considered as one of the deadliest natural hazards in the history, killing over 230,000 people in fourteen countries. In India it claimed an estimated more than 10,000 lives. The Ministry of Earth Sciences took up the responsibility of establishing the Indian Tsunami Early Warning System (ITEWS). The ITEWS was es...[more]

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UPSC Main Paper 1 2024: Important essay topics, previous year’s question paper and more

UPSC Mains 2024 Essay paper: Exam pattern

UPSC Mains 2023 question paper for Essay

Upsc mains essay paper: important topics.

• Justice and mercy balance precariously on the edge of circumstances.
• The quest for knowledge is an ever-expanding journey toward the boundaries of understanding.
• True greatness in life is found not in never stumbling, but in the resilience to rise each time we fall.
• Clarity and comprehension emerge beyond the fog of doubt.
• A nation’s strength is reflected in the safety and empowerment of its women.
• Poverty extends beyond financial deprivation, encompassing the denial of opportunities and choices.
• Progress should not compromise democracy and individual freedoms.
• The mind holds the power to transform its own reality, creating heaven or hell within.
• Compassion, empathy, and forgiveness are noble qualities that enhance the human experience.
• In the face of change, some erect barriers while others harness the power of the winds to propel forward.
• The greatest punishment for avoiding leadership is to be ruled by someone less capable.
• The strongest minds often belong to those who speak the least.
• Some rules are more respected when broken than when followed.
• The strong do what they must, and the weak accept what they must.
• True glory lies not in never falling, but in rising each time we do.
• Power doesn’t corrupt; rather, people corrupt power.

Tips to prepare for UPSC Mains Essay paper