CRIA welcomes the analytical depth, sectoral insight, and systems thinking reflected in NITI Aayog’s Scenarios Towards Viksit Bharat and Net Zero report series. By grounding India’s climate transition in sector-specific realities, the reports reinforce an important message: India’s pathway to net zero must be development-led, productivity-enhancing, and anchored in local economic priorities.

As these pathways move toward implementation, durable carbon dioxide removal (CDR) can play an important complementary role alongside decarbonisation and carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS). CDR approaches can help address residual emissions from hard-to-abate sectors that cannot be fully eliminated through mitigation alone.

CDR pathways can also help transform waste streams into climate assets by converting agricultural and mineral residues into stable carbon products such as biochar and enhanced rock weathering. In agriculture, these approaches have the potential to strengthen soil health, improve input efficiency, and support climate-resilient farming systems while delivering long-term carbon sequestration.

Beyond land-based systems, CDR can also integrate with industrial processes, including carbon sequestration in construction materials and other long-lived products. At CRIA, we see this integrated approach as essential for aligning economic growth, sustainability, and long-term carbon management.

CRIA looks forward to contributing to this evolving conversation and supporting evidence-based pathways for the responsible deployment of durable carbon removal in India.