India-EU agree to strengthen ties on smart and sustainable urbanisation

Building on the 2017 joint declaration on partnership for smart and sustainable urbanisation, the 4th India-EU Urban Forum was held on Thursday, marking a significant milestone in the EU-India collaboration on sustainable urban development, a statement stated.

The statement stated that the event brought together officials and experts from India, the European Union (EU) and its Member States to discuss policies and best practices to work towards integrated approaches to sustainable urban development, reinforcing the EU's global gateway strategy in India.

"The forum explored transformative initiatives and innovative financing mechanisms to foster gender-inclusive, resilient, and sustainable urban development, focusing on three key themes: Urban alliance and integrated approaches in Indian cities, promoting innovation and circularity at the city level, and inclusive urban mobility as a social enabler," the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry said in statement.

The EU-India collaboration is crucial, considering urban areas account for two-thirds of global energy consumption, emissions, and pollution, it said.

Since 2017, the India-EU collaboration has been instrumental in promoting sustainable cities models, public-private investments, climate action and disaster risk reduction.

The Team Europe has engaged with over 40 Indian municipalities, enhancing their understanding of climate-smart development, supporting urban mobility solutions, waste management, and climate action planning, the ministry said.

Herve Delphin, Ambassador, Delegation of the European Union to India, highlighted the importance of EU-India cooperation in urban development and said "since 2017, the EU has been engaged in accompanying and supporting the Indian government's planning the development of Indian cities".

"With the right policies in place, urbanization can be an enormous opportunity for sustainability. Smart and sustainable urbanisation has been at the core of our partnership: to improve the eco-design of cities; to improve waste disposal, to improve water recycling; to facilitate urban mobility with financing of metros," the statement quoted Delphin as saying.

"With over 45 million [INR 400 crores] we have leveraged over 1 billion [INR 9000 crores] of capital to support sustainable urbanisation. It is our commitment to pursue this effort in the period 2025-2027," he added.

Setting the tone for the forum, HUA secretary Srinivas Katikithala underscored India's commitment to urban innovation.

"Indian cities are embracing smart solutions, building green infrastructure, and implementing inclusive policies to sustainable urbanisation for generations to come," he said.