ABSTRACT

It is becoming increasingly obvious that pursuing development without internalizing climate change considerations risks ignoring a big piece of the puzzle. Fortunately, in relation to international policy, addressing climate change can also bring economic and political gains. It can enable India to work with its alliances to become a leader in an impending global clean energy transition, and it opens possibilities for political leadership, notably of vulnerable nations. Domestically, there is considerable work to be done. This involves rethinking India’s energy system in a world that prioritizes clean energy, including tackling the thorny question of remaking India’s problematic electricity distribution sector.