Category Center for Environment, Climate Change and Sustainable Development

India-Indonesia Palm Oil Diplomacy, 2025: An Evolution Forthcoming Amid Emerging Sustainability Concerns

India-Indonesia Palm Oil Diplomacy, 2025: An Evolution Forthcoming Amid Emerging Sustainability Concerns

For nearly 75 years, India and Indonesia have shared strong bilateral ties spanning political, cultural, and economic cooperation. A key pillar of their relationship is the robust palm oil trade, which has become a cornerstone of economic diplomacy for both nations. In 2024, trade between the two reached USD 26 billion, with palm oil and its derivatives alone accounting for USD 4.4 billion of the total. With an output of about 46 million metric tons in 2024-25, accounting for 4.5 percent of its GDP, Indonesia reaffirmed its position as one of the top global producers of crude palm oil.

India-Malaysia: Palm oil diplomacy and green initiatives

India-Malaysia: Palm Oil Diplomacy and Green Initiatives

Often referred to as the liquid gold of Southeast Asia, palm oil has blossomed into one of the most important commodities globally driving the economic and diplomatic relationships between India and Malaysia. Palm oil is more than just a cooking oil: it is a marker of global interdependence, of food security and environmental stewardship. There has been, for decades, a complex relationship based on India’s growing demand for edible oil as Malaysia became an important supplier.

agriculture

Agriculture Infrastructure Fund

Marketing a crucial milestone in India’s mission to transform its agricultural sector, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister launched Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, a scheme launched in 2020-21 to strengthen post harvest and farm gate infrastructure. Agriculture Infrastructure Fund aims to boost farmer income through value addition and efficient logistics.

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Deep-Sea Mining and the Green Paradox: Are We Helping or Harming the Planet by Disinvesting from the Ocean?

The urgent need for climate transition has increased the profile of deep-sea mining (DSM) as a possible source of the metals necessary for a transition to renewables. The need for cobalt, nickel, manganese, copper and rare earth elements, necessary for batteries, wind turbines, and electric vehicles, is growing as more governments commit to carbon neutrality by mid-century.

Losing Ground to the Sun: How Solar Expansion is Displacing Rain-fed Farming in Karnataka

Losing Ground to the Sun: How Solar Expansion is Displacing Rain-fed Farming in Karnataka

Rain-fed farming has traditionally escaped policy and funding attention, though it engages more than 60% of India’s farmers. In Karnataka’s Koppal, it now finds itself competing with state-backed solar farms for real estate, at a considerable social cost

India-Nepal: Cross Border Energy Grid Integration

India–Nepal: Cross-Border Energy Grid Integration

Cross border integration is a strategic imperative for regional energy security,economic growth, and climate resilience. This article argues that while the initiative has made commendable progress, emerging regulatory and infrastructural challenges must be addressed to unlock its full potential.

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