These updates capture the most important items of evidence collected by the LobbyMap platform, allowing users to track how companies are industry associations are seeking to influence climate policy in real-time.
In a 22 September press release, ReNew’s Chairman and CEO, Sumant Sinha, supported the Government of India’s decision to reduce India’s Goods and Services Tax (GST) on renewable energy equipment from 12% to 5%. The GST reduction, effective from 22 September, aims to make renewable energy more affordable and accelerate the energy transition. Suzlon Energy also supported the policy decision in an 8 September X post.
In an 8 September X post, Suzlon Energy supported the Government of India’s decision to reduce India’s Goods and Services Tax (GST) on wind energy devices from 12% to 5%. The GST reduction, effective from 22 September, aims to make renewable energy more affordable. Meanwhile, in a 23 September Economic Times article, the company’s vice-chairman Girish Tanti supported India’s 2030 100GW wind power capacity target.
In a 30 August joint press release, the Federation of Indian Petroleum Industry (FIPI) and the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) supported India’s Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Program and India’s 20% ethanol (E20) blending target by 2025. Responding to concerns about E20 blending, the industry associations emphasized the economic benefits for farmers and the carbon dioxide emissions reduction resulting from the EBP Program.
In a 26 August consultation response, Tata Steel Nederland supported the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), and called it “critical against global carbon leakage”. Further, it also provided certain recommendations that would strengthen the policy by preventing circumvention by EU importers and third country producers. In a 30 September press statement, Tata Steel CEO TV Narendran said that the company is closely monitoring policy developments in the EU on CBAM. These comments are in the context of a recent consultation on the extension of CBAM to downstream products.
On 25 September, India's Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) released an updated draft of the Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency III (CAFE) standards, which provides concessions for small cars while retaining incentives for hybrids. Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) and Suzuki have previously advocated for exemptions in this policy. For example, in a 1 July media report, SIAM advocated against the previous draft of the CAFE standards, calling it “aggressive” and a “threat to the critical manufacturing sector”. Meanwhile, in a 4 July statement, Maruti Suzuki sought exemptions for small cars from the CAFE standards. It argued that the current framework allowed larger vehicles to pollute more while smaller ones faced stringent conditions.
The Indian government eliminated the compensation cess (tax) levied on coal to “level the playing field” for all grades of coal. This comes after Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) advocated for the removal of the cess during pre-budget consultations, to support power-intensive industries and domestic economic competitiveness. ASSOCHAM’s comments are in the context of the Indian Clean Energy Cess of 2010, which currently levies 400 INR per metric tonne of coal, and is used to finance clean energy initiatives.
Senior executives from Tata Steel and ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel (AM/NS) India urged the government for policy support to transition the steel sector in a 9 September industry event. Key asks included financial incentives, policy clarity, and easier access to green financing to enable a smooth transition. Furthermore, in a 12 September article, a senior executive from AM/NS India reiterated these demands, and also supported the various technologies available to decarbonize the steel sector.
Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra opposed attempts by a governmental agency to classify hybrid vehicles as “cleaner vehicles” and to provide them with similar policy incentives as electric vehicles, as reported by a 30 May Reuters news article. The opposition comes in the context of an advisory issued in May by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), which aims to reduce dependence on highly polluting vehicles run solely on petrol and diesel by recommending the induction of hybrid vehicles in government operated fleets in New Delhi.
The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) pushed back against the proposed Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) III standards calling it “too aggressive,” as reported in a 1 July Bloomberg article. The proposed standards aim to reduce vehicle emissions by a third from 2027. SIAM argued that this move could impact the sustainability of the automobile industry, and called for a reduction target of 15% instead.
In an industry event covered by a 5 June BusinessLine article, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) President, Shailesh Chandra advocated for specific policy interventions to increase circularity within the automotive industry. He proposed three crucial areas, namely a supportive policy framework for adopting bio-based and smart materials, incentives for vehicle scrapping, and an expanded recycling infrastructure. Chandra also suggested this should be further complemented by a joint awareness campaign by the government and industry on end-of-life vehicles and the benefits of sustainable scrapping practices.
Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) welcomed the Indian government’s newly released EV policy in a 3 June X post. The Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Electric Passenger Cars in India (SPMEPCI) aims at boosting domestic production by reducing import duties to fifteen percent for foreign manufacturers, provided they invest INR 4150 crores in local manufacturing.
In a 1 April interview with Outlook Business, ReNew CEO, Sumant Sinha, advocated for government renewable energy policy to support solar power generation in India.
In a 19 January article in the Economic Times, the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) advocated for the removal of the coal cess (tax) to maintain the competitiveness of power-intensive industries like aluminium in its pre-budget memorandum for 2025-26. Describing the cess as “high,” ASSOCHAM commented that it increased production costs and impacted industry sustainability.
The association's comments relate to India's Clean Energy Cess of 2010, which currently levies 400 INR per metric tonne of coal, and is used to finance clean energy initiatives.
ReNew CEO Sumant Sinha stated support for strong climate ambition at COP29, stating current commitments and action, including NDCs are insufficient to meet 1.5°C in a 21 November interview with Bloomberg. Sinha also advocated for a global price on carbon to aid with decarbonization. Additionally, Sinha pushed for significant investments in renewables to meet additional energy demand, but acknowledged that coal investments will be required in the short-term before the energy mix transitions to be dominated by renewables.
In a 7 November blog, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) advocated for action to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C at COP29, stressing the importance of climate finance and the need to build climate resilience in vulnerable communities. The association also supported the shared commitment of achieving net zero emissions.
ReNew CEO, Sumant Sinha, supported India's Carbon Credit and Trading Scheme (CCTS) in a 1 October Mint article, and advocated for the CCTS to be synergized with global carbon border adjustment systems, including the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
In a 1 September report on electric mobility, the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) supported several policy measures to decarbonize India’s transport sector. The report advocated for extending the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles in India (FAME) scheme and introducing a production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for EV charging infrastructure.
In a 15 September Business Standard article, CEOs from Tata Steel, TV Narendran, and JSW Steel, Jayant Acharya, supported a new mandate in India to accelerate steel recycling from old automotives. The circular economy policy aims to increase domestic scrap steel availability to support the decarbonization of the steel sector.
In a 12 August publication on the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) called for India to seize the opportunity to increase climate ambition. The report cited the potential for a faster transition to low carbon technologies and considered the introduction of a domestic carbon tax to promote green energy.
The Economic Times reported on March 12th that on Tata Motors wrote a letter to the Indian government supporting the extension the FAME II electric vehicle incentive scheme in India, and also advocating for specific policies to promote battery electric vehicles in India.
InfluenceMap's initial analysis of 20 of India's most climate significant companies and eight of India’s most influential industry associations revealed a clear opportunity for corporate India to step up and drive policy engagement to deliver India’s climate targets.
This briefing analyzes automotive industry engagement on Indian climate policy for light-duty vehicles for the first time. It covers the climate policy engagement of the ten largest automakers operating in India and the automaker's primary industry association, the Society of Indian Automobile Manuf...
This report contains analysis and scorecards of the climate policy engagement of the largest steelmakers in China, India, Japan and Korea.
