India Unveils Pioneering R&D Strategy for Carbon Capture to Aid Net Zero Ambitions

India has recently unveiled its inaugural Research and Development Roadmap on Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS). This initiative aims to expedite the country’s journey towards achieving Net Zero emissions by 2070. Developed by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the roadmap was announced on December 2 by Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, who serves as the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India.

During the launch, Prof. Sood highlighted the significance of the roadmap as a crucial framework designed to enhance coordinated national efforts in climate innovation. He asserted that this guide will not only expedite technology deployment but also mobilize investments necessary for transitioning to a low-carbon economy. Additionally, he noted that this initiative reinforces India’s position as a leader in global climate action while aligning with the government’s long-term vision encapsulated in Viksit Bharat@2047.

Prof. Abhay Karandikar, the Secretary of the DST, elaborated on the department’s commitment to advancing CCUS research while fostering both national and international partnerships. He noted that the roadmap strikes a balance between commercializing existing technologies and encouraging the development of next-generation innovations. Central to this initiative is a supportive ecosystem that encompasses workforce training, regulatory standards, and shared infrastructure.

The implementation of the roadmap is closely aligned with various initiatives, including the ₹1 lakh crore Research, Development & Innovation (RDI) scheme, which aims to enhance the decarbonization efforts driven by the private sector. The roadmap categorizes CCUS as an essential technology for significantly reducing emissions in industries deemed challenging to decarbonize, such as power generation, cement, and steel production—critical sectors for India’s industrial growth.

Over the last seven years, the DST has dedicated resources towards translational research and the establishment of CCUS test beds in real industrial contexts through public-private partnerships. This roadmap seeks to encapsulate that accumulated experience and insights, drawing from a High-Level Task Force to specify thematic priorities, financial models, and actionable pathways for implementation.

At the launch event, Dr. Ashish Lele, who chairs the task force and serves as Director of CSIR-NCL Pune, underscored the urgency of scaling up CCUS deployment. Technical details were provided by DST officials Dr. Anita Gupta and Dr. Neelima Alam, focusing on multilateral and bilateral collaboration efforts and the establishment of India’s first three National Centers of Excellence in CCUS.

The event attracted a diverse audience, including Indian and international researchers, representatives from academia, government agencies, industry players from energy-intensive sectors, and diplomats from various embassies and multilateral organizations. This collaborative atmosphere reflects the growing recognition of climate innovation as a shared global responsibility and a pathway to sustainable development.