India made a firm appeal at the COP30 climate summit on Monday, calling on developed nations to honour their legally binding obligations under the Paris Agreement. Representing developing countries, India said the fundamental “architecture” of the Paris pact must not be altered and that climate action must remain rooted in equity and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.
Speaking on behalf of the BASIC (Brazil, South Africa, India and China) and LMDC (Like-Minded Developing Countries) groups, India stressed that climate finance continues to be the biggest barrier to global progress. It reminded developed countries of their duty under Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement to provide predictable and adequate funding to help developing nations adapt and transition to cleaner economies.
India called for a clear global definition of climate finance to ensure transparency and accountability. It also highlighted that funding for adaptation needs to increase at least fifteen-fold to meet the urgent needs of vulnerable communities.
On technology transfer, India demanded affordable, reliable and equitable access to green technologies. It urged the removal of intellectual property and market barriers that prevent developing countries from deploying cleaner solutions at scale.
New Delhi also cautioned against unilateral trade measures such as carbon border taxes, saying they could amount to disguised protectionism and undermine the spirit of multilateral climate cooperation.
India reminded developed countries of their historical responsibility for global warming and urged them to achieve net-zero earlier while investing in negative-emission technologies.
Reaffirming its commitment to the Paris Agreement, India said that global climate action must be built on trust and fairness, not through rewriting existing rules.
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