Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (September 19, 2026) said developing countries are often unfairly blamed for carbon emissions while the fact is that developed nations have six times more per capita carbon emissions compared to India.

Inaugurating an international conference on the environment and climate in New Delhi, the Prime Minister also said that whenever he takes forward work on nuclear energy generation, people who always talk about the environment will move court to stop it.

“We all know that the responsibility for carbon emissions has often been wrongly placed on developing countries. While the historical truth is that even today, India’s contribution to per capita carbon emissions is less than half of the global average,” he said at the two-day event being attended by environmental experts, Supreme Court judges, legal experts and senior government officials.

Environmental experts, Judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts, District Court judges, Secretaries of various Ministries, senior government officials, and representatives of State judicial academies, State Legal Services Authorities, State Expert Appraisal Committees, State Environment Impact Assessment Authorities, State Wetland Authorities and other stakeholders are taking part. Judges and judicial representatives from 17 countries are also participating

President Droupadi Murmu, Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs and Power Manohar Lal, Justice P.S. Narasimha of the Supreme Court, Justice Shrivastava and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta will attend the valedictory session on Sunday (September 20, 2026).

Mr. Modi said developed nations have six times more per capita carbon emissions compared to India and New Delhi strongly presents this fact on global platforms.

“And I would say to every Indian: You too say this forcefully,” he said.

The Prime Minister said India is working with the rest of the world and is setting new standards for environmental protection.

He said that India is focusing on renewable energy and is the only nation in G-20 that has already fulfilled its Paris (COP 21) commitments, well before its timeline.

“This is the power of New India. Non-fossil fuels, solar energy capacity, stoppage on carbon emissions… India’s performance on all such metrics is being discussed across the world,” he said.

NGT said the conference would provide a platform to discuss major environmental and climate challenges facing the world. It will focus on identifying gaps in policy-making and implementation, sharing successful practices and strengthening cooperation among institutions and stakeholders.

Four technical sessions on key environmental issues will be held, and the conference will seek to develop a roadmap for dealing with present and future challenges. The Tribunal said the aim was to strengthen environmental justice and institutional cooperation, and to promote dialogue on the growing challenges arising from the relationship between environment, climate change, development and justice.

(This article is part of the View From India newsletter curated by The Hindu’s foreign affairs experts. To get the newsletter in your inbox every Monday, subscribe here.)

India is a close strategic partner of the U.S. and Israel. But it also positions itself as a key voice of the Global South and maintains close strategic and economic relationships with Russia and China, respectively. This balancing act was on display on September 12-13 when India hosted the 18th BRICS summit in Delhi. Any summit that brings together the leaders of India, Russia and China assumes strategic significance. This time it was even more consequential because it took place amid an ongoing and widening conflict in West Asia, India’s extended neighbourhood.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Israel in February, just days before Israel and the U.S. launched their war on Iran. More than six months into the war, Mr. Modi was seen walking hand in hand with Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian in Delhi. India doesn’t see a contradiction in these positions. Rather, they are part of New Delhi’s multi-engagement approach, rooted in both India’s continued rise and in the emergence of a more balanced international order. Groupings such as BRICS play a critical role in shaping the latter.

We atThe Hinduhave been covering the summit rigorously from Delhi. To get a ringside view of the meet and its key takeaway, I turned to Suhasini Haidar, our diplomatic affairs editor. She says there is a growing consensus among BRICS members that the current international order is unfair and unjust and needs to change. Read what she has to say:

What is your main takeaway from the BRICS summit? 

The main takeaway from the BRICS summit is that it’s always possible for diplomacy and as consensus-building to override bilateral narratives and conflicts. This was perhaps the most difficult BRICS summit in recent years at which to forge consensus. That was largely because of the U.S.-Israel war on Iran, which began on February 28. India as the host is in a particular position where it is close to the U.S. and very close to Israel but it also wanted to forge a consensus while maintaining its ties with other BRICS members, particularly Iran. That’s how a consensus was eventually built, through a compromise of positions by all the parties. 

Another big takeaway is that apart from the Big 2 –Russia and China – these are emerging economies that are primarily seeking economic development for their respective countries. Some of the BRICS consensus has been forged around that idea: food, fuel and fertilizer security and trade. These are the areas in which these countries want to work together. 

How did the Delhi Declaration address the conflicts in West Asia? 

Suhasini Haidar: The Delhi Declaration addressed the conflicts in West Asia in great detail, with very strong criticism of Israel, for example, over its actions in Lebanon and Palestine, particularly in Gaza. However, the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran, the assassination of Ayatollah Khamenei, and Iran’s strikes on its neighbours, particularly the UAE [another BRICS member], found no mention. There was a pointed reference to attacks on civilian infrastructure as well as nuclear installations. 

It is also very clear that the basic difference that held up consensus was between the UAE and Iran. Iran wanted a strong condemnation of the U.S. and Israeli attacks on it, but the UAE wanted an equal condemnation of Iran’s attacks on its neighbours. Iran, of course, has consistently said it cannot agree to this because, as a member state, it cannot be seen criticising itself, and, secondly, it considers these attacks were in self defence. This basic contradiction between the two was resolved through a compromise: both sides were told that brother would get its way. There was a third compromise, and that concerned India’s position on Israel – there are very strong paragraphs criticising Israel, including a reference to South Africa’s case against Israel at the ICJ.

Sceptics argue that BRICS is a China-dominated grouping and that it is internally divided. Were internal divisions apparent in Delhi or would you say the grouping is coming of age as Mr. Modi said?

Unlike G7, where there is a very uniform view of the world, BRICS doesn’t have a uniform vision of how the world should look. But it does have a shared view that the world at present is imbalanced, unfair and unjust. That’s what holds these countries together. The idea that BRICS would not have internal divisions, like the G7, is unfair because BRICS emerged from countries that are not part of the G7, they are not part of the Western consensus. The idea of China dominating BRICS grouping would be true in terms of economics because China is by far the biggest economy among the members. But I don’t think this is just about the size of economies. It is also about countering western sanctions and tariffs, and there is a consensus on this front. 

Where BRICS is divided is on bilateral issues. India and China are the biggest examples, but BRICS provides a platform for the two countries to meet. Remember, Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Modi have not met on bilateral visits to each other’s countries since the [2020] Galwan clashes, but they do meet on the sidelines of summits such as BRICS and SCO. Egypt and Ethiopia have water disputes; Iran and the UAE have a major conflict between them; and there are other differences within the grouping over energy providers and energy consumers. These divisions have only grown since BRICS doubled in size. But the larger thread that holds these countries together is the idea that they feel the present world order needs to change.

West Asia watch

Last week also saw the dramatic Houthi advances in Yemen. The Shia rebels, who ended their four-year ceasefire and started attacking Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Saudi-backed government in July after a Saudi attack on a Houthi held airport in Sana’a, captured Yemen’s entire Red Sea coast and a strategically important island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. This is a significant development as it could strengthen the position of Iran in its ongoing war with the U.S. To understand the Houthi advances and its possible impact on the war in West Asia, read this piece: The new lords of the Red Sea

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the media outside Parliament on Monday (July 20, 2026), ahead of the Monsoon Session.

“We hope that monsoon and the Monsoon Session of Parliament are productive,” he said.

Monsoon session of Parliament LIVE updates – July 20, 2026

The Prime Minister said reforms initiated by his government “have given courage to youth to dare to take commendable steps.”

On the economic front, Mr. Modi said the “West Asia conflict created major difficulties for India, which is dependent on import of energy.” Even so, he noted, “despite the crisis due to West Asia conflict, India registered 7.7% growth.”

He added that the “country has achieved several milestones, including in space sector, in the last one month.”

Mr. Modi made an appeal to lawmakers, urging all MPs to “wholeheartedly participate in proceedings of Monsoon Session.”

‘No logic for a storm’

“I am firmly convinced that where there are facts and logic, there is no room for a storm,” PM Modi said.

“Positive spirit is essential for achieving the nation’s goals. Our House has very experienced Members of Parliament. Regardless of their party affiliation, they possess a wealth of experience. At a time like this, both Parliament and the country need their experience and knowledge.

“Therefore, the functioning of Parliament, meaningful discussions, and a collective resolve to take the nation forward are, I believe, the need of the hour. The youth of the country, brimming with aspirations, demand that we move forward,” he said.

Dig at Rahul Gandhi

Mr. Modi also seemingly took a veiled dig at Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi while lauding India’s growing space capabilities.

Referring to the team behind startup Skyroot Aerospace’s achivements, he added, “The young people working in this ‘Skyroot’ startup — I have been told the average age of their entire team is only 28 years. Such youngsters have accomplished this work; I am not talking about any 56-year-old ‘youngster,’ I am talking about these startups in the country with an average age of 28 that have planted India’s flag in space.”

(With inputs from PTI, ANI)

At the India-Japan Joint Economic Forum, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi inaugurated Maruti Suzuki’s fourth vehicle manufacturing facility at Kharkhoda in Haryana.

Two-thirds of Suzuki’s cars are made in India and exported to more than 100 countries from New Delhi, PM Modi said at the launch.

“Kawasaki, Yamaha and Honda bikes too are exported to the entire world from here. Similarly, whether it is air conditioners or power grid equipment, precision manufacturing or medical technology, when Japanese expertise and investment and India’s speed and scale join, then the whole world benefits,” PM Modi said.

Today, the world is grappling with supply chain constraints, trade uncertainty, and a dip in global demand, PM Modi said, adding, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” 

The Kharkhoda plant will be scaled from half a million units to 1 million units, which would make it one of the largest car manufacturing plants, Toshihiro Suzuki, president, representative director and chairman of Suzuki Motors, said.

The projected total investment at the facility is ₹35,000 crore.

Aerial view of the Kharkhoda plant.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

“It is a testament to the success of the India-Japan partnership and ‘Make in India’ initiative. With a favourable policy environment under PM Modi, Suzuki is accelerating investment, employment, export and technology towards the Vikshit Bharat journey,” Mr. Suzuki said.

The plant was operationalised in February 2025 with an initial annual capacity of 2.5 lakh units. The foundation stone for it was laid virtually by PM Modi in August 2022.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (June 1, 2026) said the PM SVANidhi scheme supporting street vendors has transformed the lives of countless hawkers by ensuring access to collateral-free credit, financial inclusion and new opportunities for growth. On the completion of six years of the scheme, he also said that PM SVANidhi is all about trust, dignity and empowerment.

Portal for street vendors’ loan scheme launched

“Today we mark #6YearsofPMSVANidhi, a scheme which has transformed the lives of countless street vendors by ensuring access to collateral-free credit, financial inclusion and new opportunities for growth. This scheme is all about trust, dignity and empowerment. My best wishes to all beneficiaries whose determination and enterprise continue to strengthen our nation’s economy,” Mr. Modi said in a post on X.

The Prime Minister Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) is a central sector scheme supporting street vendors through affordable working capital, financial inclusion and social protection measures.

The PM SVANidhi was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide affordable working capital loans to street vendors whose businesses had been severely affected. As the first dedicated micro-credit scheme for street vendors, who constituted a significant part of the informal workforce and often had limited access to formal credit, it aimed to support the growth of their businesses while promoting financial inclusion.

The scheme was launched in June 2020. It is a joint responsibility of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and the Department of Financial Services (DFS).

More than 1.12 crore collateral-free loans worth over ₹17,800 crore have been disbursed under the PM SVANidhi scheme since its launch in June 2020, emerging as a key driver of financial inclusion and economic empowerment for street vendors.

The scheme has benefited over 75.5 lakh street vendors across urban India, helping them access formal credit, adopt digital payments and avail social security benefits.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent visit to India has helped pave the way for a complete reset of Canada-India relations, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said in Ottawa.

The ties were strained under Mr. Carney’s predecessor in the wake of the 2023 killing of a Sikh activist in Canada.

The remarks by Mr. Goyal on Monday (May 25, 2026), who is visiting Canada, came as he met with the North American country’s International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu.

More than 100 senior business representatives from India’s mining, energy, automotive and aerospace sectors accompanied Mr. Goyal, a team New Delhi says is its largest-ever business delegation to Canada.

“This is a partnership that is being reset very, very rapidly,” Mr. Goyal said Monday (May 25, 2026).

He said Mr. Carney’s visit in late February — the first visit by a Canadian Prime Minister in eight years — “completely changed the way Canada and India looked at each other”.

“It has set in motion the pathway to a complete overhaul of this relationship, setting new agendas, new goals,” he said.

Canada and India have been in trade talks since 2010. Talks were shut down in 2023 after Canadian authorities alleged that India was involved in the killing of Canadian Sikh activist Hareep Singh Nijjar near Vancouver in June that year.

New Delhi vehemently denied the allegations and accused former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government of harbouring Sikh extremists of the Khalistan movement.

Ahead of his meeting with Mr. Sidhu, Mr. Goyal said both countries are keen to reach a free-trade agreement this year.

In India, Mr. Carney met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the two sides signed a series of agreements — including a deal worth 2.6 billion Canadian dollars ($1.9 billion) to supply about 22 million pounds of uranium to India for nuclear energy generation.

A Canadian delegation was in New Delhi for trade talks earlier this month and another Indian delegation is planning to return to Canada to continue discussions later this year.

Mr. Goyal also said the two countries are working to triple their trade to $50 billion by 2030.

In Ottawa, Mr. Goyal met with Carney and Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand. He is also to meet with CEOs of leading companies, start-ups and pension funds.

Vina Nadjibulla, vice president of research and strategy at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, said both countries are looking to diversify their relationships and reduce their dependence on the United States, increasingly seen as unreliable by some partners.

India recently signed trade deals with the European Union, the United Kingdom and New Zealand.

“India is now pivoting to Europe as well as to other Western economies like Australia and Canada to be able to meet its needs for capital, technology and innovation,” Ms. Nadjibulla said.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told lawmakers in Jerusalem on Wednesday that his country stood with Israel “firmly with full conviction” following Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023.

PM Modi in Israel: Follow LIVE updates on February 25. 2026

“I… carry with me the deepest condolences of the people of India for every life lost and for every family whose world was shattered in the barbaric terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7,” Modi said in the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament.

“We feel your pain, we share your grief. India stands with Israel firmly with full conviction in this moment and beyond,” he added.