Busan, Republic of Korea – India emphasized the seriousness of the global plastic pollution crisis at the Final Plenary of the 5th session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) on Plastic Pollution. During its intervention, India stated that no country alone can address this challenge and urged collective action to tackle the issue. The statement reflected India’s commitment toward achieving an international legally binding instrument as envisioned at UNEA-5 during the two years ago.
Grateful to the Chair and the Secretariat for fostering consensus-based discussions, India emphasized the significance of collaboration and mutual trust among member states to finalize the draft instrument. Representing a nation of 1.4 billion people, India reaffirmed its commitment to address plastic pollution and outlined domestic efforts toward tackling the issue. This included banning certain short-lived plastic products and implementing an ambitious Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regime for plastic packaging. The country has also made progress in embracing sustainable plastic packaging and reducing virgin material use.
At the same time, India emphasized the indispensable role of plastics in economic and social development, especially in developing economies. While acknowledging the difficulty in balancing environmental concerns with sustainable development, India insisted on a more nuanced approach that takes into account the specific circumstances of different nations.
India pressed for the principle of consensus on all amendments and that on amendments to the instrument as well as its annexures. Considering the new version of the Chair’s non-paper, India said it would agree to proceed, although not without raising its reservations regarding certain matters.
One of India’s major concerns was that the current draft excludes some of the recommendations of the member states. It felt assured that their perspectives would feature prominently in future negotiations under the principle that “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.” The Indian delegation stuck to its stated position that a fair, inclusive, and transparent package must enjoy the consensus of all member states.
India also mentioned that there should be a well-defined scope of the instrument, which is absent in the latest draft. The delegation requested the Chair to reinstate this section. It was claimed that the scope should be restricted to plastic pollution and should not overlap with other multilateral environmental agreements or relevant bodies.
It pointedly presented its objections to controlling the generation of base polymers of plastic. According to it, such controls would have long-term implications for the developmental rights of member countries. The delegation also rejected the insertion of phase-out dates in the instrument at this stage, since the elements of the same had not been adequately reflected by the Chair in his draft text.
India raised concerns about the possible trade implications of certain articles and pleaded for the inclusion of a provision to allow reservations on annexures. India insisted that the instrument must accommodate national circumstances and capabilities, recognizing the responsibilities of member states in national implementation.
For the effective implementation of the legally binding instrument, India underlined technical and financial assistance, including technology transfer to developing countries. The declaration recommended creating a specific multilateral fund that would supply financial resources for developing countries to meet the incremental costs of compliance requirements.
In a statement reaffirming commitment to constructive engagement in future negotiations, India maintained its firm commitment to the principle of consensus as a method of decision-making under multilateral environmental agreements. Such an approach ensures collective decision-making, shared responsibilities, and an equitable outcome for all member states.
India concluded its intervention by requesting the Chair to include its statement in the official meeting report of INC-5. With this stand, India reaffirmed its commitment to striking a balance between the prevention of plastic leakage into the environment and the protection of sustainable development aspirations of developing countries.