Outlook Planet C3 Summit Puts Spotlight on Climate Innovation, Circular Economy and Mobility Transition

At the Outlook Planet C3 held in New Delhi, policymakers, industry leaders and sustainability experts converged on a central idea: India’s energy transition is no longer just about targets, it is about execution, integration and navigating trade-offs.

Opening the event, Neeraj Thakur, editor, Outlook Business called for solutions that can make India self-reliant in the green economy, while linking sustainability challenges to shifting geopolitical realities. Referring to ongoing tensions in West Asia, he criticised the role of global powers, describing the situation as reflective of a deeper imbalance in the world order. “All this is happening because the US is sitting on a debt of more than $35trn…you understand what's at stake for the world superpower that has decided to behave like a roadside bully”, he said.

Setting the agenda for the day-long conference, Sudipto Dey, editor, Outlook Planet framed the discussions around the theme of navigating India’s green transition in a VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity) world. He noted that the term, originally coined by the US Army in the post-Cold War era, aptly captures the challenges businesses and policymakers face today. “The theme reflects what it takes to run a business at this time,” he said.

Setting the tone, chief guest Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of State in the Department of Atomic Energy emphasised that the transition cannot be pursued in silos. “It requires an integrated, collaborative approach where both government and private sector work in synergy,” he said, adding that India must scale not just its ambition, but also the pace of execution.

This urgency is amplified by the material realities of the transition. As Dr Singh pointed out, the shift to green energy will require vast quantities of critical minerals, from lithium and rare earth elements to permanent magnets essential for sectors ranging from electric vehicles and electronics to defence and renewable energy systems like wind power.

Yet, ambition comes with economic constraints. Arvind Virmani, member, Niti Aayog cautioned that financing the transition is not without trade-offs. High-cost domestic capital risks crowding out investments in other sectors, while the long-term benefits of climate investments diminish when discounted over time. “Not everything is a win-win,” he said, underlining that some economic costs are inevitable in achieving net-zero goals. Access to low-cost finance, therefore, becomes critical.

Beyond energy, the discussions highlighted how sustainability challenges are deeply interconnected, particularly in the context of water. Industry leaders acknowledged that traditional approaches are insufficient in addressing systemic risks.

K Ganesh, director, sustainability, Bisleri International, pointed to manufacturing’s growing role in water scarcity and the limitations of on-site solutions. Companies, he said, are increasingly investing in restoring local water bodies, repairing check dams and reviving ponds to recharge groundwater.

Ashish Bhardwaj, programme lead at Alliance for Water Stewardship, reinforced this perspective, arguing that water cannot be managed in isolation. “Water is not a closed-loop resource,” he said, stressing that solutions must operate at the watershed level.

The complexity of managing shared resources was further illustrated through the example of the Yamuna River. Nupur Bahadur, expert, sustainability and circular economy, Delhi Jal Board, highlighted that issues like river frothing stem from multiple interacting factors ranging from untreated wastewater discharge to ecological imbalances requiring a coordinated, multi-pronged response.

A recurring theme across sessions was the challenge of aligning finance, markets and on-ground realities. Amit Patjoshi, CEO, Palladium India noted that existing systems often fail to clearly signal demand to farmers, limiting the effectiveness of sustainability initiatives.

Mohana Talapatra, a climate action consultant, added that mobilising capital at scale requires alignment between financial instruments and ecosystem needs, while Suranjali Tandon of National Institute of Public Finance and Policy pointed to the emerging role of technology platforms in bridging gaps across the value chain.

Neelam Pandita, VP, ESG and investor relations, BlackSoil Capital highlighted blended finance as a key tool to mitigate risks and unlock broader participation, especially in climate-aligned sectors. Complementing this, Jayanta Chaudhuri, director, marketing, alliances and partnerships, Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy described CSR funding as a critical bridge between early-stage innovation and scalable impact.

Even within financial systems, climate considerations are becoming central. Bavani Sankaran, CGM PFSBU, State Bank of India remarked that climate is emerging as a new “C” in credit evaluation frameworks—alongside capacity, character and capital.

India’s push toward clean technologies is also exposing structural gaps in manufacturing and supply chains. Nishant Arya, VC and MD, JBM Group, warned that without localising the entire electric-vehicle (EV) ecosystem from batteries to semiconductors, the country risks exporting value addition.

This concern is echoed in the battery sector. Pravin Saraf, MD, Exide Energy Solutions, noted that while recycling can recover critical materials, India still lacks the downstream processing ecosystem needed to compete globally.

However, falling costs are beginning to drive adoption. Hardeep Singh Brar, president and CEO, BMW Group India pointed out that the price gap between EVs and internal combustion engine vehicles has narrowed significantly, aided by declining battery costs and government incentives.

The broader industrial ecosystem is also moving toward circularity. Bharat Mehta, VP, Reliance Industries highlighted the growing case for chemical recycling of polyester, while Umang Pathak senior specialist, climate change, ESG litigation and regulatory at Trilegal described cities as “urban mines” rich in recoverable materials from discarded electronics and batteries.

Yet, challenges persist. Anand Behl, chief business officer, Kisani Urja, flagged the difficulty of securing consistent feedstock for circular systems, while Suneel Pandey, director, circular economy and waste management, Teri warned against informal recycling practices that can cause environmental and health damage.

India’s $179bn textile sector is also navigating a complex transition. Surojit Bose, sustainability and ESG leader, Intueri Consulting, pointed to the looming 2027 compliance requirements under Europe’s digital product passport regime, while Chandrima Chatterjee, secretary general, Confederation of Indian Textile Industry highlighted government schemes aimed at strengthening the ecosystem—from MSME support to integrated textile parks.

Naresh Tyagi, chief sustainability officer, Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail expressed optimism, noting that significant progress is already underway, including increased renewable energy adoption within the sector.

He defended India’s approach of strategic autonomy, arguing that pragmatic, interest-based engagement is often misinterpreted as indecision.

For industry leaders like Khushboo Bhatia, CEO, Thermax Onsite Energy Solutions, the message is clear: delaying the transition will only increase costs, eventually turning it into a compliance burden rather than a strategic advantage.

Amid the technical and financial discussions, speakers also highlighted the need for inclusive design. L Prabhakar, executive VP and head, social investments, ITC stressed that gender inclusion cannot be an afterthought, while youth voices like Abhiir Bhalla underscored the urgency of action in this decade.

From carbon markets to water systems and manufacturing supply chains, the discussions at Outlook Planet C3 revealed a transition that is as complex as it is urgent. Vijay Anand, head HSE and sustainability, Hero Future Energies pointed to volatility in carbon markets and the need for price stability, while G Asok Kumar, IAS, highlighted the importance of circular water management systems.

Ultimately, the message across sessions converged on a single reality: India’s climate transition will not be defined by ambition alone, but by its ability to align policy, finance, technology and ecosystems at scale. As the conversations made clear, the question is no longer whether India will transition, but how effectively, and how quickly, it can turn intent into impact.