Looking Back 2025: India strengthened green governance with new rules, liberalised clearances for select sectors

In 2025, India focused on strengthening environmental governance with new rules like the Environment Audit Rules, and also hosted the first assembly of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA). However, the year was also marred with controversies over the easing of environmental clearances, air pollution and the renewed definition of Aravalli hills.

Russia joined India-led International Big Cat Alliance

In a major landmark, during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India, Moscow decided to adopt the framework agreement to join the India-led IBCA, a global initiative to protect the seven big cats – tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, jaguar and puma.

The IBCA, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2023, held its first assembly in November this year and the meeting was attended by ministerial delegations from nine countries, including Bhutan, Cambodia, Eswatini, Guinea, India, Liberia, Suriname, Somalia, and Kazakhstan.

86 sectors identified as ‘White Category industries’

With an aim to achieve self-reliance in the defence and strategic sector, India also eased environmental clearance processes. The Environment Ministry expanded the scope of ‘White Category industries’ by identifying 86 sectors as minimal polluters that have the least impact on water resources.

Sectors placed under the White Category are recognised as industries generating negligible pollution, requiring minimal regulatory oversight as compared to their counterparts in Orange, Red and Green categories.

This classification system serves as the cornerstone of India’s risk-based approach to environmental regulation, allowing the authorities to focus resources on high-impact industries, while facilitating ease of doing business for low-pollution sectors.

Forest Rules amended for Critical Mineral Mission

The Centre also amended the Forest (Conservation and Augmentation) Rules, 2023, to facilitate the objectives of achieving self-reliance in the Critical Mineral sector under the newly launched National Critical Mineral Mission, 2025. Critical minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt and rare earth are essential to fuel the growth of clean energy technologies. For projects of defence and strategic importance, user agencies can now submit applications for prior approval through offline mode, providing a flexible alternative to the standard online process.

Formal framework for environmental auditing

The ministry also came up with the Environment Audit Rules, 2025, creating a formal framework for environmental auditing across the country. These rules establish a two-tiered system of auditors and set up a dedicated agency to transparently oversee the process.

Early warning systems reduced casualties

Sharing her insights with The Tribune, Dr Eilia Jafar, a humanitarian and development professional, said, “In 2025, India made progress in strengthening early warning systems and improving coordination for climate-related disasters, which helped reduce loss of life in several high-risk situations. Wider air quality monitoring also brought greater public awareness about environmental health. However, these gains were offset by persistent gaps in implementation.” She stated that air pollution remained a serious concern, especially in urban centres, and waste management systems struggled to keep pace with consumption and industrial growth.

“Climate adaptation plans were uneven across regions, often limited by funding and capacity. In 2026, the priority must be stronger execution, better local preparedness, and sustained investment in long-term environmental resilience,” Jafar said.

Aravalli hills definition sparked controversy

The most recent controversy was the acceptance of the committee’s report by the Supreme Court, which said that any landform located in the Aravalli districts, having an elevation of 100 metres or more from the

local relief, shall be termed as Aravalli Hills. Two or more hills located within the proximity of 500m from each other will form the Aravalli range.

Critics said this would leave “anything below 100 meters” vulnerable for mining, and therefore the Aravalli range that acts as a pollution sink and ensures water security would be reduced to rubbles.

However, the government has put a halt from issuing fresh mining leases till Management Plan for Sustainable Mining (MPSM) was conducted in the Aravallis.