It is in this backdrop, India, the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world, has dropped its commitment to generate 500 GW of power from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030 in its latest updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). It would pave the way for further exploration of coal and lignite schemes and new coal-based power plants in the projected 820 GW capacity in case demand for energy cannot be met form green fuels. It also implies that India's commitment to reduce carbon emissions by one billion tonnes by 2030 is unlikely to be achieved.

India's updated NDC as approved by the cabinet proposes about 50% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030, dropped the 500 GW absolute target committed at COP26, and did not include the commitment to reduce one billion tonnes of carbon emission by 2030, though it commits to reducing the emissions intensity of GDP by 45% by 2030 from the 2005 level.

An official statement issued after the cabinet meeting reiterated India's long-term goal of reaching net zero by 2070, as announced by India's prime minister Narendra Modi in COP26. However, in anticipation of rise in power demand, government has adopted flexible approach - that is India will go for coal exploration and coal bases thermal power plants rather than phasing them out.
Minister of Power and Renewable energy R K Singh has been quoted as saying "demand for energy in the country has only started growing now" while an official in the Ministry saying "as long as we keep the fossil below 50%, we can raise the (thermal power plant) capacity. In case demand is higher, renewable energy can grow rapidly by 2030, accommodating more thermal capacity."

"The industrialised countries have been using fossil fuel for their growth for the past many decades. Our first requirement is to make sure there is enough power available for growth. There is not going to be any compromise on that," the official has been quoted as saying on being asked about halting new coal plants.
India's current installed power capacity is 404 GW, consisting of coal-based 204 GW (50%), renewable energy sources 114 GW (28%), and hydro 47 GW (12%). Nuclear power generation capacity is 7 GW, gas-based power 24 GW, and lignite and diesel-based 8 GW.

The Central Electricity Authority has forecast that the country's reliance on coal will drop from 53% in 2021 to 33% in 2030, whereas solar and wind together will make up 51% from 23% in 2021. Coal contributes about 67% of the energy generation.

It shoud be noted that no new coal-based plants have been set up in the past decade. However, National Thermal Power Corporation has recently announced it would be setting up its first coal-fired plant in many years.

India has been demanding its 'due share' of financial assistance from developed countries to achieve net-zero by 2070. In Glasgow last year, India had argued that it should get $1 trillion in climate funding to fulfil its commitment by 2030. However, this demand is unlikely to be met. The developed nations have said that they will only be able to meet a 2020 goal to provide $100 billion a year in climate finance to poorer countries in 2023.

The updated NDC has also propagated a healthy and sustainable way of living based on traditions and values of conservation and moderation, apart from already taken a series of policy measures since COP26 commitments including production-linked incentives for manufacturers of electric vehicles and batteries, amendments to energy use laws and introducing a national hydrogen plan. However, these cannot enable us to mitigate the climate crisis especially when exloration of coal and coal-based projects are also pursued vigourously.

The Ministry of Coal has even informed the Parliamentary Stading Committee in the Lok Sabha on demand for grants that it was finalising a plan for exploration of coal and ignite scheme of worth Rs 3362 crore. It came after the committee noted that the Ministry of Coal had projected an outlay of Rs 1183.50 crore for central sector schemes for 2022-23, which was reduced to Rs314.54 crore by the Ministry of Finance. The committee felt the reduction would impact the production safety and evacuation of coal. Ministry of Coal then informed the committee that Ministry of Finance had already approved to continue research and development scheme with an outlay of Rs 103 crore and to continue conservation, safety, and Infrastructure development in coal mines with an outlay of Rs 465.22 crore. Ministry of Coal has even assured the committee that they will review the annual plan 2022-23 and seek enhanced allocation at revised estimate stage.

Since India is the third largest polluter of the world, the present scenario does not augur well for mitigation of climate crisis. Any slippage on the part of India and lack of financial and technologial support from the global climate fund or developed countries would delay net-zero target of India by 2070 or of world by 2050, which would prove catastrophic for all forms of lives on earth.