What is new in India's NDC for 2031-2035?

The Union Cabinet approved the new NDC on 25 March 2026 (PIB, 2026), and the document, dated April 2026, is on the UNFCCC website. It covers 2031 to 2035, ends on 31 December 2035 and again uses 2005 as the reference year. Its eight goals are:

1. Follow a cleaner, climate-friendly path than others did at a similar stage of development, in line with Viksit Bharat by 2047.
2. Adapt better to climate change by investing more in vulnerable sectors: agriculture, water, the Himalayan region, coasts, health and disaster management.
3. Reduce the emissions intensity of GDP by 47% by 2035 from the 2005 level.
4. Reach about 60% of cumulative installed electricity capacity from non-fossil sources by 2035, with the help of technology transfer and low-cost international finance.
5. Create a carbon sink of 3.5 to 4.0 billion tonnes CO2e through forest and tree cover by 2035, compared with 2005.
6. Spread a healthy, sustainable way of living through the LiFE movement.
7. Mobilise domestic money and new and additional finance from developed countries.
8. Build capacity and frameworks for fast spread of clean technology and joint research.

Two points in the document matter for readers. First, it says the NDC does not commit India to emission cuts in any specific sector, including agriculture. Second, it says effective implementation depends on finance, technology transfer and capacity-building support from developed countries, as provided for under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement.