Emphasising that India’s model of development is deep-rooted in balancing economic progress with ecological stewardship, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav, on Tuesday, called upon all the countries to make sustainability fundamental to growth.
Speaking at the 20th Global Sustainability Summit, organized by the CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development here, he said the prevailing global trade tensions, policy uncertainties, geopolitical conflicts, and barriers to global financial investments by major economies, collectively create a fragile environment.
“Sustainability should not be considered a goal or an objective. I believe it is a lifestyle choice, an evolving commitment to be resilient, regenerative, and responsible,” he, as per an official release, said.
Yadav highlighted that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his ministry issued very critical notifications with the aim of building a sustainable future.
He informed that on 29 August 2025, the Government of India notified the Environment Audit Rules, 2025, which create a formal framework for environmental auditing across the country.
These rules, he said, establish a two-tiered system of auditors and set up a dedicated agency to transparently oversee the process.
“These rules are designed to supplement the existing monitoring and inspection framework of the government, not to replace it,” Yadav stated.
The minister further informed the gathering about the notification of a revised methodology for the Green Credit Programme on 29 August 2025.
Originally launched in October 2023 to encourage voluntary environmental action, the programme has now been strengthened with provisions that allow direct participation by private entities, establish minimum restoration commitments, mobilize private capital for climate action, and utilizate Earned Green Credits.
The revised methodology ensures that the Green Credit Programme becomes a catalyst for meaningful eco-restoration, he explained.
In addition, Yadav highlighted that the ministry amended the Forest (Conservation and Augmentation) Rules, 2023 to facilitate the objectives of achieving self-reliance in the Critical Mineral sector under the newly launched National Critical Mineral Mission, 2025.
Under this mission, 24 minerals have been identified as critical and strategic, and 29 others have been recognized as important for strengthening the country’s economy and national security.
The amended rules simplify the approval process for mining these minerals in forest areas for both public and private entities, the minister added.
Reflecting on India’s broader sustainability achievements, Yadav observed that the country has emerged as the fastest-growing major economy while also leading global efforts on climate action.
“India is the only country that has successfully adapted sustainable growth across the policy landscape through targeted scheme implementation, infrastructure investment, local commitment and tangible achievements on multilateral commitments,” he noted.