India’s Climate Transition Must Balance Growth and Resilience, Says CEA
The CEA stressed that climate adaptation remains central for countries like India, where most climate-related losses stem from vulnerability rather than emissions
India’s clean energy transition must be aligned with its growth and development needs, Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) V Anantha Nageswaran said at the IVCA GreenReturns Summit 2025 on Tuesday. Addressing investors, policymakers and climate-tech leaders on Day 2 of the event, he underlined that climate action must support—rather than constrain—the country’s economic priorities.
Nageswaran said India has not yet reached peak energy consumption, making reliable and affordable power essential for sustaining growth. “India’s climate agenda must strengthen—not slow down—our growth priorities,” he said. “We have to ensure the availability of affordable and reliable energy while steadily lowering the energy intensity of our growth. The transition must be designed around our development needs, not at their expense.”
The CEA stressed that climate adaptation remains central for countries like India, where most climate-related losses stem from vulnerability rather than emissions. He noted that strengthening coastal systems, water infrastructure, heat resilience and climate-smart agriculture would help reduce structural risks.
“Adaptation has to come first for countries like India,” he said, adding that a fact-based and comprehensive approach to risk and resilience will be critical to ensuring a climate pathway that is both environmentally and economically sustainable.
Day 2 of the summit featured presentations from climate-tech startups, sector-focused discussions and sessions on financing clean energy, resilience infrastructure and industrial decarbonisation. Investors and founders pointed to the need for predictable policies, wider adoption of efficiency solutions, and technology-led reductions in the energy intensity of economic activity.
Speakers at the event highlighted India’s approach of sequencing climate action—starting with resilience, building domestic capabilities, and using innovation to guide a transition that supports economic growth and job creation.
With India targeting significant renewable energy expansion and rising climate-related risks, the discussions underscored the importance of balancing growth, inclusion and resilience in shaping the country’s long-term climate strategy.
