India released its 2035 climate targets: 47% reduction in emission intensity, 60% carbon‑free energy

The Indian government presented its interim 2035 climate targets as part of an updated NDC under the Paris Agreement. For the world's third‑largest emitter, it is a key milestone, but the initial reactions are mixed.

Main targets for 2035:

-47% emission intensity of the economy (vs. 2005)

- 60% of electricity capacity from carbon‑free sources

- Carbon sink through forests: 3.5–4.0 billion tonnes CO₂eq

Why critics are protesting:

1. Intensity ≠ absolute reduction. The target is formulated as emission intensity per unit of GDP – not absolute emissions. With GDP growth, India's emissions will continue to rise even if the target is met.

2. Incrementality. -47% is only a marginal increase compared to the -45% target for 2030. According to the Climate Action Tracker, "India missed the opportunity to set an economically broad 2035 target for absolute emission reductions."

3. Carbon-free capacity already met. India is already at 52.6% – thus above the 50% target for 2030. The 60% target for 2035 will be reached according to current policies already around 2030.

The basic tools of decarbonisation should be the Green Hydrogen Mission, Production Linked Incentive scheme, CCUS, nuclear expansion, battery storage, green energy corridors.

It should be added that India consistently sets cautious targets and surpasses them early (original 2015 NDC: -33–35% intensity + 40% carbon-free, both achieved years earlier).

For global climate negotiations this is a fresh input before the COP. India is playing a cautious game: minimum ambition, maximum credibility of delivery. The long‑term net‑zero 2070 remains, but the pace up to 2035 will not be sufficient for a 1.5°C trajectory.

For global investors it is interesting that renewable capacity in India will continue to grow strongly (battery storage is the new bottleneck), while coal in absolute numbers will remain. India is neither the USA nor China – it is its own paradigm "growth-first decarbonisation".

For European companies focused on India – Green Hydrogen, CCUS and battery storage are the three main construction investment themes for the next decade.

Source: https://onestopesg.com/esg-news/india-2035-climate-clean-energy-targets