Alwar, Rajasthan, Feb 27 – India must embrace a technological leap to lead in clean-tech manufacturing amid global trade disruptions, according to India's G20 Sherpa and former NITI Aayog CEO, Amitabh Kant. Speaking at the Centre for Science and Environment's annual Anil Agarwal Dialogue, Kant emphasized that India has a critical opportunity to strengthen its economic growth by stepping into the global clean-tech market.
Highlighting India’s technological advancements, Kant pointed to the success of fintech innovations like UPI and called for similar strides in clean energy. "India should replicate its fintech success in clean-tech manufacturing—solar energy, green hydrogen, batteries, and electric vehicles. This is our chance to surpass 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030," he said, stressing that technological disruptions are inevitable and must be leveraged.
Warning Against Dependence on China
Kant warned of economic vulnerabilities if India fails to capitalize on this opportunity. "If we do not act now, we will end up relying on China for clean-tech imports, just as we currently spend heavily on oil. We must ensure self-sufficiency in this sector," he cautioned.Global Climate Finance: A Broken Promise
On the issue of climate finance, Kant criticized developed nations for failing to meet their commitments to support developing countries. "The developed world promised $100 billion annually by 2020 but did not deliver. The actual need is $1.3 trillion per year for climate goals and $3 trillion for both climate and sustainable development," he said.He pointed out that developed nations have historically contributed to 80% of greenhouse gas emissions, making it difficult for developing nations to meet their climate targets without adequate financial backing.
At the UN climate conference in Azerbaijan last year, developed countries pledged only $300 billion by 2035—far short of the annual $1.3 trillion needed from 2025. India has strongly criticized this amount as "too little, too distant" and "an optical illusion."
Governance Failures Worsening Delhi Pollution
Kant also took aim at Delhi’s governance, blaming policy failures for the city's severe pollution and mismanagement issues. "Air pollution and the garbage crisis are clear results of governance failure in Delhi," he remarked.He pointed out that industrial pollution remains a major concern, particularly in Delhi-NCR. "Of the 36 thermal power units, only seven have adopted technology to capture sulphur dioxide emissions. These measures were due in 2018, yet no action has been taken due to a lack of political will," he said.
Additionally, Kant stressed that while stubble burning outside Delhi often gets blamed for air pollution, local biomass burning, brick kilns, and industrial emissions within and around the city are also significant contributors. "Strict action is needed against polluting industries, and brick kilns from Delhi to Rajasthan must adopt cleaner technology," he asserted.
As India prepares its next round of climate plans for 2031-2035, Kant’s remarks underscore the urgent need for technological self-reliance and global financial commitments to support the country's clean energy transition.
