New report from Standard Chartered highlights optimistic corporate outlook on India’s energy transition
Feb 11: Standard Chartered today unveiled a new report titled, ‘India and the Energy Transition’, in which Corporate India expressed confidence in the country’s ability to deliver on its net zero ambitions. The report, which surveyed 40 businesses, highlights that 83% of these corporates have already established net zero strategies and as many as 93% are actively investing in solutions to reduce emissions.
This survey points to a broadly optimistic corporate outlook on India’s environmental and energy transition pathway. On future investment intentions, almost all surveyed corporates (98%) indicated that they expect their investments in sustainable solutions to increase during the next five years. Despite corporate ambition, the data also showed that less than 40% of the Indian corporates surveyed have so far engaged with sustainable finance solutions, while just 32% have been exposed to carbon credits. But data points to appetite to change this significantly, as 86% of corporates surveyed expect to use sustainable finance solutions in the future, while 88% of corporates asked expect to be active in the carbon credit market.
The emphasis on sustainable finance for funding among Indian corporates is evident with green and sustainability-linked bonds and loans emerging as the most widely preferred options. Companies with exposure to water and those with labour-intensive operations have also shown an interest in blue bonds and social bonds.
Corporate funding requirements associated with the energy transition are likely to be high, given that annual investments of as much as USD 300 billion is needed for India to reach net zero. The report outlines that carbon markets are likely to play an increasingly important role in facilitating the flow of capital towards decarbonisation efforts, enabling companies to complement direct emissions reductions using carbon credits.
Beyond emissions reduction, corporates surveyed view the shift towards renewable energy as central to improving India’s economic resilience and reducing reliance on fossil fuel imports. With total power consumption projected to grow, the report highlights the scale of investment required to expand domestic power generation while strengthening energy security and limiting environmental impact. Indian corporates remain upbeat about transport electrification, with 83% expecting India’s car and motorcycle fleet to be largely electric by 2050.
Commenting on the report, Ben Daly, Global Head of Transition Finance, Standard Chartered, said, “India’s energy transition is gaining tangible momentum. The report underscores rising electricity demand, growing corporate investments in clean energy and the pivotal role of sustainable finance and carbon markets. These trends will be critical in meeting rising energy demand while enhancing long-term energy security and economic resilience.”
Shobana Chawla, Head of Sustainable Finance, India, Standard Chartered, said, “We believe India can further accelerate the adoption of low carbon solutions if it can focus on three priorities – grow local manufacturing capacity at scale, expand Government support schemes for low carbon solutions, and support the financial sector in becoming an enabler in offering sustainable finance solutions to corporates in India.”
The report notes that while India is currently the world’s third-largest emitter, its per-capita emissions remain lower than those of developed economies, underscoring the importance of a balanced, growth-oriented transition. The findings highlight strong appetite from the corporate sector in India to expand energy transition solutions across India, supported by policy, capital markets and corporate action.