India’s green push gains global spotlight with record renewable growth, wildlife revival
J&K’s Palli village becomes India’s first carbon-neutral panchayat
New Delhi: In 2024–25, India added a record 29.52 GW of renewable energy capacity, taking the total to 220.10 GW. This marks a critical leap towards the 2030 target of 500 GW energy from non-fossil sources, officials said on Wednesday, adding that the Palli village in Jammu and Kashmir has become India’s first carbon-neutral panchayat.
Solar power led this surge, growing over 25 times to 71.78 GW since 2014, while wind and nuclear capacities also saw significant growth, according to a government statement. With solar tariffs now among the lowest globally, India currently ranks 7th in the Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index.
This push aligns with India’s commitments under the Paris Agreement and its “Panchamrit” climate pledge, while initiatives like LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) and the National Green Hydrogen Mission position India as a sustainability front-runner.
Flagship schemes such as ‘PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana’ have brought rooftop solar power to nearly 12 lakh homes, while the PM-KUSUM scheme has enabled farmers to adopt solar irrigation with subsidies.
In a defining year for India’s environmental progress, the country has emerged as a global leader in climate action – it has added its highest-ever annual renewable energy, the historic revival of its tiger and cheetah populations, and made major strides in sustainability across sectors.
On the conservation front, forest cover has risen to over 7.15 lakh sq. km, boosting the national carbon sink to 30.43 billion tonnes. India now hosts over 75 percent of the world’s wild tigers, with a population of 3,682—more than double the 2010 count. The reintroduction of cheetahs from Namibia under Project Cheetah saw the first cubs born on Indian soil in 70 years.
In sanitation and waste management, the Swachh Bharat Mission and GOBARdhan schemes have transformed urban and rural hygiene standards, while 13 Indian beaches have earned Blue Flag certification.
India’s development model is increasingly rooted in green growth, from solar villages to ropeways in Kedarnath and Hemkund Sahib that balance pilgrimage with ecological care. The Namami Gange Mission, meanwhile, has revived the Ganga through extensive clean-up and conservation.
