India: Environmental Law

The Government of India is implementing the National Green Hydrogen Mission (“NGHM”), with an objective to make India a global hub of production, usage and export of green hydrogen and its derivatives. A global demand of over 100 (hundred) million metric tonnes of green hydrogen and its derivatives is expected to emerge by 2030.

The global imperative to combat climate change has catalysed the development of robust market-based mechanisms for carbon emissions reduction, and India has progressively aligned itself with this international...

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India ("MNRE") on February 25, 2026 issued the draft guidelines for quantifying greenhouse gas ("GHG") emissions from offsite water drawal and treatment, for stakeholder comments until March 13, 20262. These guidelines inter alia provide for benchmark emission factors along with a mechanism for allocation/ determination of emissions during water treatment systems in order to ensure compliance with the Green Hydrogen Certification Scheme of India3 and alignment with ISO 19870:2023.

India's energy, infrastructure, and natural resources sectors witnessed significant regulatory developments in February and March 2026, spanning power generation frameworks, oil and gas supply regulations, maritime investment mechanisms, and mineral governance reforms. Key measures include amendments to captive power plant rules, carbon credit trading regulations, enhanced consumer protection in petroleum distribution, and stricter environmental compliance standards for solar waste and plastic management.

The concept emerged from international climate architecture - first under the Kyoto Protocol, 1997, which introduced market-based mechanisms such as the Clean Development Mechanism, allowing developed countries to offset emissions by investing in reduction projects in developing nations, and subsequently under the Paris Agreement, 2015, which commits signatory nations to achieving their self-declared Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) towards limiting global temperature rise.

The Ministry of Environment has notified the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026...

On 15 January 2026 the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), exercising the rule-making power conferred by sections 6 and 25 of the Environment (Protection)...

On 27th October 2025, the Ministry of Coal initiated consultation with stakeholders on Mining Plan Guidelines for Coal and Lignite 2025 ("Guidelines"), inviting comments until 26th November 2025.

The Supreme Court's November 2025 ruling on the Aravalli range has started widespread debate, with critics arguing that it weakens environmental safeguards by permitting certain mining activities to continue.