India's net-zero drive to require $300 bn annual investment: StanChart

India will require annual investments of up to $300 billion from corporates to meet net-zero goals, even as most companies have adopted climate strategies, a Standard Chartered report said

Corporate funding requirements for the energy transition are likely to be high, as India will require annual investments of as much as $300 billion to reach net-zero emissions, according to the India and the Energy Transition report launched by Standard Chartered on Tuesday.

 

While corporate India has expressed confidence in the country’s ability to deliver on these ambitions, 83 per cent of corporates across 40 businesses have already established net-zero strategies, and as many as 93 per cent are actively investing in solutions to reduce emissions.

 

“Corporate funding requirements associated with the energy transition are likely to be high, given that annual investments of as much as $300 billion are needed for India to reach net zero,” Standard Chartered said in its report.

 

According to the survey, almost 98 per cent of the surveyed corporates indicated that they expect their investments in sustainable solutions to increase over the next five years. However, less than 40 per cent of Indian corporates have so far engaged with sustainable finance solutions, while just 32 per cent have been exposed to carbon credits.

 

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. Till the end of September 2025, the bank has funded about $2 billion for renewable energy capacity creation.