By Vishu Adhana
New Delhi [India], December 9 (ANI): A future India-EU Free Trade Agreement could substantially widen India’s access to advanced green technologies, including battery storage and renewable energy systems, CRF President Shishir Priyadarshi said on Monday at a post-COP Belem dialogue jointly organised by the Centre for Responsible Finance (CRF) and TERI.
Priyadarshi, a former WTO official, said India is often portrayed as a hard negotiator because its red lines are misunderstood. “India is labelled a tough negotiator largely because many of our red lines are not understood, and partners often shape the press narrative,” he said, noting that climate change is one area where both sides show uncommon alignment.
His comments come as the EU’s Trade Commissioner Maros is in New Delhi to push forward talks on the long-awaited India-EU trade deal. Priyadarshi said discussions with European officials suggested an FTA could be a key enabler of India’s clean-energy transition. “Both sides agreed that, building on what Belem achieved and what it didn’t, an India-EU FTA can open far greater access to green technologies, especially battery storage and wind energy,” he said.
Warning that climate extremes are becoming the norm, Priyadarshi urged urgent action. “What we call extreme today is becoming the baseline. If we don’t act differently now, the next decade will break every record we know,” he said.
He argued developing countries can no longer depend only on climate finance from the Global North. “For years we said, ‘you caused the damage, you pay,’ but what have we received? Peanuts. We must think of solutions that raise resources at home while still pushing for equity,” he added.
Priyadarshi welcomed integrating climate and trade policy, saying economic policy must internalise climate goals. “Climate policy works best when it sits within trade and economic frameworks. In isolation, it appears aspirational, but in trade, it delivers faster and clearer results,” he said.
On India’s role in the Global South, he said the transition should not be framed as a choice between growth and sustainability. “For India and the Global South, it is not green versus growth; it is securing both. We don’t seek exceptions — only fairness and equity,” he said.
The event, titled “Beyond Belem – Charting the Next Phase of Global Climate Action,” featured senior experts including RR Rashmi (TERI), Madhur (IIT Delhi) and former MoEFCC Secretary Leena Nandan. (ANI)
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