Attendees of the COP30 United Nations climate summit sit beneath a globe in a lobby at the side event pavilion on November 11, 2025 in Belém, Brazil. (File photo-AP) New Delhi: India has withdrawn its proposal to host the 33rd session of the United Nations Climate Conference (COP33) in 2028. The country has communicated its decision expressing its inability to host the conference “after reviewing its commitments for the year 2028”.

Although India has not yet formally announced its decision, Environment Ministry officials have confirmed the withdrawal notice to the relevant body without providing any explanation. India’s offer to host has been confirmed. COP33 was first coined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his speech at COP28 in Dubai on December 1, 2023.

This announcement was made in view of the successful hosting of the G20 summit in New Delhi in 2023. Rajat Agarwal, joint secretary in the ministry, had last week informed about the withdrawal to the chair of the Asia-Pacific group of the UN climate body, which is responsible for coordination with host countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Without going into details, the short communication talks about India’s commitment to engage constructively with the global community on climate action.

India’s withdrawal comes just a week after it raised its climate action targets. By announcing the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for the period 2031 to 2035 as part of its larger long-term goal of achieving net-zero by 2070 under the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement.

India’s latest NDC has three quantitative targets: a 47% reduction in emissions intensity (emissions per unit of GDP) from 2005 levels by 2035; To achieve 60% cumulative installed capacity of electrical energy from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2035; and creating a carbon sink equivalent to 3. 5 to 4. 0 billion tonnes of CO₂ through forest and tree cover from 2005 levels by 2035.

With India withdrawing its candidature to host COP33, the Asia-Pacific grouping can now rely on South Korea, which had earlier expressed its interest to host the UN climate summit in 2028. Turkey will host COP31 later this year, while Ethiopia will host COP32 next year.