India withdraws bid to host climate summit in 2028

ENVIRONMENT – CLIMATE CHANGE

9 APRIL 2026

• India has withdrawn its bid to host the 33rd edition of the Conference of Parties (COP 33) in 2028 — the annual United Nations climate talks.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced India’s interest in hosting the COP33 at the COP28 in Dubai in 2023.
• According to the CHN report to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) stated that India was withdrawing its candidacy following a “review of its commitments for 2028”.
• In July 2025, the Environment Ministry set up a dedicated cell for the “professional and logistical requirements” for organising the COP33.
• This followed a joint declaration at the 17th BRICS summit on July 7, where the member countries “welcomed” India’s candidacy.
• The hosting of the COP rotates among the UN’s five regional groups, with India belonging to the Asia Pacific group.
• The COP30 was held in Brazil.
• The 2026 edition is to be jointly hosted by Turkiye and Australia and the 2027 summit (COP32) is scheduled to be held in Ethiopia.
• With India withdrawing, South Korea is the only country that has so far expressed interest in hosting the COP33.
• India has hosted the summit only once — in 2002 (COP8) — when it was a relatively low-key affair.
• On March 25, 2026, India announced its updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), committing by 2035 to source 60% of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil sources, reduce emissions intensity of GDP by 47%, and increase its carbon sink by 3.5-4 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent.