India to launch Indian Carbon Market portal by January 2026.
Portal manages carbon credit lifecycle, ensuring transparency and efficient trading.
Aims to position India as Asia’s carbon-finance and green economy leader.
The Centre plans to launch the Indian Carbon Market (ICM) portal by January next year, according to Mint.
The centralised digital platform will serve as the backbone of the country’s emerging carbon credit trading system—facilitating the creation, registration and issuance of carbon credits to help industries offset emissions by investing in cleaner technologies or purchasing credits from others.
The move comes at a time when carbon prices have increased across the globe. The global carbon credit market was valued between $531.2 billion and $656.8 billion in 2024, reported Mint. India aims to position itself as a key player in the rapidly growing global ecosystem for carbon finance and emissions trading.
The ICM portal is expected to manage the full lifecycle of carbon projects—from proposal submission to registration, validation, verification, issuance and renewal. It will cater to both compliance and voluntary carbon credit mechanisms, one of the officials said.
The development of the ICM portal will be undertaken by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE). Mint further reported that the proposed digital ecosystem will consist of two key components, the ICM Portal and the ICM Registry. These platforms will collectively streamline and strengthen the operation of the Indian Carbon Market by ensuring transparency, traceability and efficiency in the carbon credit transactions.
How the System Works
The ICM portal has been designed to act as the central interface for market participants and regulators, supporting both the compliance and offset mechanisms under the ICM framework. Its core functions will include project proposal submission, registration and approval, validation and verification, issuance of carbon credits and credit period renewals.
The new portal could further help in elevating India as a strategic carbon-finance hub in Asia. According to The New Indian Express, India must integrate trade readiness into the ICM, especially given Europe’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) on imports—domestic exports will have to prove low-carbon footprints to stay competitive.
Meanwhile, the government has already approved eight offset methodologies under the ICM including renewable energy, green hydrogen, industrial energy efficiency, landfill methane and mangrove afforestation.
According to a March 2025 Environmental Defence Fund report, a well-designed emissions trading system can boost firm competitiveness, drive innovation and reduce emissions without hurting growth.
Therefore, in addition to helping India meet its climate goals, the ICM may also help its industries align with international low-carbon trade.
