By Abbas Nazil
India is grappling with mounting pressure to expand energy access while also facing criticism over its reliance on coal and slow progress on climate commitments.
The country of 1.45 billion people has endured worsening droughts, floods, desertification, sea level rise, glacier loss and deadly heatwaves that highlight its vulnerability to the climate crisis.
This year, record early heat forced hospitals in Delhi to set up emergency cooling wards as power outages left millions struggling to cope with extreme temperatures.
Two-thirds of Indian households experience some level of energy poverty, with unreliable access to electricity, cooking fuel and cooling, according to studies.
Despite this, India remains the world’s third-largest emitter after China and the US, producing 3.06bn tonnes of CO2 annually, though its per capita emissions remain less than half the global average.
Officials argue that developed nations historically responsible for global heating must provide finance, technology and capacity to help developing countries transition, citing the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities enshrined in the 1992 UN climate convention.
Coal accounts for about 70 percent of India’s electricity generation, and officials defend its use as vital for economic growth and energy security, while critics warn of its health and environmental toll.
The government has simultaneously invested in renewables, nuclear, hydro and green hydrogen, and recently announced that non-fossil sources now make up half of its installed electricity capacity, five years ahead of its Paris Agreement target.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged massive expansion of nuclear energy and green hydrogen by 2030, while India has already become the third-largest solar producer and fourth in wind.
Yet watchdog Climate Action Tracker rates its climate policies as “highly insufficient”, and India’s new emissions reduction plan is still under ministerial review ahead of COP30 in Brazil.
At the summit, India is expected to push for stronger commitments on climate finance and adaptation, stressing that wealthy countries must fulfill obligations under the Paris Agreement rather than shifting burdens onto developing nations.
Observers say India will continue phasing down coal rather than phasing it out, while seeking to balance energy security, economic growth and climate action.
The government insists that the transition is inevitable but must happen on India’s own terms, with equity and fairness guiding its position in global climate negotiations.