India's climate-legal architecture runs through the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS), notified in 2023, and a Central Electricity Regulatory Commission regulation of 27 February 2026 setting terms for trading the resulting carbon credit certificates; the CCTS creates compliance obligations across nine sectors under the PAT scheme, including aluminium, cement, iron and steel, fertiliser, pulp and paper, petrochemicals, petroleum refining, chlor-alkali and textiles. The Union Cabinet approved India's NDC3.0 on 25 March 2026, communicated to the UNFCCC by 24 April 2026, for the period 2031 to 2035: a 47% cut in GDP emissions-intensity against 2005, a non-fossil power capacity share of 60%, and a forest and tree-cover carbon sink of 3.5 to 4.0 GtCO2e by 2035, reaffirming net zero by 2070. India has no dedicated forest-carbon statute distinct from the NDC's own sink target, and no filed Long-Term Strategy beyond the standing 2070 pledge.
Projects
Bhitarkanika Mangrove Restoration
Mangrove restoration in Bhitarkanika National Park, Odisha, using the fishbone method of canal construction.
CFL lighting scheme 'Bachat Lamp Yojana' (Andhra Pradesh CPA)
A registered CDM Programme of Activities component replacing conventional lighting with CFLs in Andhra Pradesh's Ranga Reddy district.
Gandhavi Mangrove Regeneration Project
A community-led mangrove plantation in Gujarat, run mostly by local women's self-help groups.
Improved Cookstoves, India (Assam / Madhya Pradesh)
A VCS-registered cookstove project reaching over 72,000 households in Assam and Madhya Pradesh.
India Electric Mobility Financing Project
AIIB financing for electric bus procurement and depots in Maharashtra, India.
India: Efficient Wood Gas Stoves (Sunderbans)
TLUD gasifier stoves cutting firewood use by half in the Sunderbans mangrove region.
Khasi Hills Community REDD+
India's first Plan Vivo REDD+, run by a federation of Khasi traditional governments.
Landfill Closure and Gas Capture CDM Project by GAIL at Ghazipur
A landfill methane capture project at Delhi's Ghazipur site, converting captured gas into bio-CNG for transport.
Panna Afforestation
Farmer-led afforestation anchoring a 30-year Microsoft removal offtake
Panwi Small Hydro Power Project
A CDM-registered small hydropower plant on the Panwi river in Himachal Pradesh.
Safe Water Network stations
Locally run water stations and water ATMs selling treated drinking water in Ghana and India.
Simpa Networks Pay-As-You-Go Solar
Pay-as-you-go solar home systems for underserved rural households in India, unlocked by SMS mobile payments.
TIST: The International Small Group and Tree Planting Program
Subsistence farmers in small groups planting and GPS-counting tens of millions of trees for carbon income.
UJALA (Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All)
India's national LED-bulb distribution scheme, billed by its operator as the world's largest zero-subsidy domestic lighting programme.
Regulation
Held out for Framework law: Candidate identified; not shown until its primary source is confirmed
Framework law
See "Held out" note above.
NDC
"India commits to reduce Emissions Intensity of its GDP by 47 percent by 2035 from 2005 level. India to achieve 60 percent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2035. India to create Carbon Sink of 3.5 to 4.0 billion tonnes of CO₂ eq. through Forest and Tree Cover by 2035 from 2005 level. India's commitments are aligned with vision of Viksit Bharat @2047 and Net-Zero by 2070."PIB Delhi press release, posted 25 MAR 2026, 5:35PM, headline block
Sets India's third NDC: 47% emissions-intensity cut vs 2005, 60% non-fossil power capacity, and a 3.5–4.0 GtCO2e forest/tree-cover carbon sink, all by 2035; reaffirms Net-Zero by 2070.
Issuing body: Union Cabinet of India, chaired by PM Narendra Modi · Corroborated
Carbon market
"Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (Terms and Conditions for Purchase and Sale of Carbon Credit Certificates) Regulations, 2026."climate-laws.org geography family listing, dated 2026-02-27
CCTS creates compliance (nine PAT-scheme sectors: aluminium, cement, iron/steel, fertiliser, pulp/paper, petrochemicals, petroleum refining, chlor-alkali, textiles) and offset mechanisms; the 2026 CERC regulation sets terms for trading the resulting certificates.
Issuing body: Ministry of Power · Single source
Forest / REDD+
"India to create Carbon Sink of 3.5 to 4.0 billion tonnes of CO₂ eq. through Forest and Tree Cover by 2035 from 2005 level"PIB Delhi release headline block
A national forest/tree-cover carbon-sink target rather than a dedicated forest law; no separate India forest-carbon statute was found.
Issuing body: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change · Single source
Net-zero / LTS
"India's commitments are aligned with vision of Viksit Bharat @2047 and Net-Zero by 2070"PIB Delhi release headline block
Standing net-zero pledge, framed against the "Viksit Bharat @2047" development vision; no dedicated LT-LEDS document located.
Issuing body: Union Cabinet of India · Single source