Speaking at the fourth edition of the India Net Zero Forum 2026, Balakrishna Pisupati said net zero should be viewed as a pathway towards a stronger, more prosperous and resilient nation.India’s net zero blueprint is not about fighting development but about building a better model for development, Balakrishna Pisupati, Country Head-India, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), said on Tuesday.
Speaking at the fourth edition of the India Net Zero Forum 2026, Pisupati said net zero should be viewed as a pathway towards a stronger, more prosperous and resilient nation.India’s net zero blueprint is not about fighting development. It is about building a better model for development,” Pisupati said.
“Net zero is not India’s destination, but it is India’s pathway to become a stronger, more prosperous and more resilient nation,” he added.
Describing the transition as “the largest economic transformation in India’s independent history”, Pisupati said the country’s net-zero journey would require participation from every sector, institution, stakeholder group, and citizen.“India’s net zero journey is very similar to that. There is no single technology, there is no single ministry, no single company and certainly no single conference that can deliver it,” he said.
“It is the largest economic transformation in India’s independent history. What we have set for ourselves in India is an epic journey that requires every sector, every institution, every stakeholder group and every citizen to participate,” he added.Pisupati said climate change is no longer only an environmental concern and should also be seen through the lens of economic development.
“For a lot of us, climate change is generally presented and perceived as an environmental challenge. But in reality, almost all of us now understand it is an economic issue. It is a development issue,” he said.
Highlighting the role of technological advancement in the transition, he said innovation helps make ambitious climate goals achievable.
“This teaches us a very important lesson that all of us should have in mind, which is that innovation turns ambition into affordability,” Pisupati said.He also underlined the need for broader financing mechanisms to support India’s net-zero commitments, including private-sector participation, blended finance, and innovative risk-sharing mechanisms.
“We are no longer seeing finance as the supporting actor but as a central protagonist to achieve the net zero story of India,” he said.
