NITI Aayog Releases First Set of Reports: Integrated Strategies for Viksit Bharat and Net Zero
SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy | SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | SDG 13: Climate Action | SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
NITI Aayog | Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) | Ministry of Finance
NITI Aayog is releasing eleven study reports on “Scenarios towards Viksit Bharat and Net Zero” on February 9 and 10, 2026, marking India’s first government-led, multi-sectoral integrated study to align developed-nation status by 2047 with Net Zero by 2070.
The first set of three reports, released at the Ambedkar International Centre, details findings from ten inter-ministerial working groups that analyzed macroeconomic aspects, sectoral transitions (power, transport, industry, buildings, agriculture), and financing requirements. The study highlights that reaching Viksit Bharat @ 2047 is achievable across all modeled scenarios, provided India leapfrogs into clean technologies and secures a projected $22.7 trillion in capital mobilisation by 2070.
These reports represent a sequential logic used by NITI Aayog to translate climate targets into national policy:
Sustainable Pathways (Vol. 1 - The Blueprint): This is the Technical Strategy. It defines the “What”—the specific technological shifts needed, such as increasing electricity’s share to 60% and scaling Green Hydrogen to 50 million tonnes. It provides the physical roadmap for the transition.
Economic Blueprint (Vol. 2 - The Feasibility Test): This is the Macroeconomic Stress-Test. It answers “Can the economy sustain this?” by using the MANAGE model to prove that the Net Zero transition has only a “marginal impact” on GDP, ensuring India still hits its $30 trillion goal.
Capitalising the Transition (Vol. 9 - The Financial Plumbing): This is the Implementation Plan. It answers the question of “How do we pay for it?” by identifying the $22.7 trillion total cost and proposing the institutional architecture (like the National Green Finance Institution) required to bridge the funding gap.
The core link between these three bites is the Integrated Assessment Modelling (IAM).
Vol. 1 describes the framework.
Vol. 2 uses the framework to output growth and employment data.
Vol. 9 uses the framework to translate those technology pathways into specific Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) requirements. Without the IAM framework, the financing needs (Vol. 9) would not be linked to the technological reality (Vol. 1) or the growth projections (Vol. 2).
What is the “Viksit Bharat and Net Zero” study framework? The “Scenarios towards Viksit Bharat and Net Zero” is a government-led analytical modelling exercise that integrates India’s development priorities with its global climate commitments. By coordinating across ten inter-ministerial working groups, NITI Aayog has created a “benchmark” resource that evaluates how different policy choices—such as demand electrification and behavioral shifts—impact macroeconomic indicators like GDP growth, investment, and trade. This study serves as a benchmark for long-term policy planning, ensuring that India’s development model can serve as a role model for the Global South.
Policy Relevance
The release of these reports represents a transition from aspirational goal-setting to rigorous, data-driven national planning. By institutionalizing an integrated study of this scale, NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Finance are providing the empirical foundation for a “balanced” growth model that does not compromise long-term sustainability for short-term economic gains.
Strategic Impact:
Leapfrogging Clean Technologies: Identifying India’s potential to be a global leader in clean technologies provides a mandate for MeitY and the Ministry of Power to prioritize indigenous R&D and manufacturing in the green stack.
International Financial Diplomacy: The projected need for $6 trillion in external finance requires the Ministry of Finance to enhance diplomatic engagement and domestic financial reforms to attract patient, low-cost global capital.
A Model for the Global South: By adhering to the principle of “Common but Differentiated Responsibility” while pursuing high growth, India is positioning its development roadmap as a viable alternative for other emerging economies.
Urban and Infrastructure Planning: The insight that 85% of 2047’s India is yet to be built offers a blueprint for the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to mandate “climate-friendly” building codes and transport systems today.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: How can NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Finance leverage the ‘National Reference Architecture’ for Sovereign AI to track the efficiency gains and $22.7 trillion in climate finance flows across all 11 reports by 2028?
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