India may draw $4.1 trillion in cumulative green investments and generate 48 million full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs by 2047.
A national study, released by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), also says the country could unlock a green market worth $1.1 trillion every year by the same period.
The assessment identifies 36 green value chains that could shape India’s path to Viksit Bharat. These span the energy transition, the circular economy, the bio-economy, and nature-based solutions.
The study says India’s green growth potential goes well beyond solar power and electric vehicles.
It highlights opportunities in bio-based materials, agroforestry, green construction, sustainable tourism, circular manufacturing, waste-to-value industries, and nature-linked livelihoods.
According to the report, each of these areas could expand into billion-dollar sectors over the next two decades while improving resource security.
Jayant Sinha, president of Everstone Group and Eversource Capital and former Union minister of state, said, "India's green transition is fundamentally net positive: it can create millions of jobs, accelerate growth, improve public health, and strengthen national security by shifting to domestic energy sources. The value chains identified in this CEEW study point to where this trillion-dollar opportunity lies."
He added, "Policy stability addressing bottlenecks like land and usage of blended finance tools is now needed to de-risk investment. With a whole-of-government approach, India can mobilise the capital required to drive a green frontier development model."
Amitabh Kant, former G20 Sherpa and former CEO of NITI Aayog, said India must pursue a different development model as it grows beyond a $3 trillion economy. "With much of our infrastructure yet to be built, we have a unique chance to design cities, industries, and supply chains around circularity, clean energy, and the bioeconomy. Just as digital public infrastructure enabled India to leapfrog technologically — achieving in seven years what would have taken decades — we must now pole-vault into a green economy."
He added, "While much of the world remains locked into legacy systems, a Viksit Bharat built on circular and resource-efficient value chains can define a new development pathway and set a global benchmark for green growth."
The CEEW analysis says the energy transition alone could produce 16.6 million FTE jobs and bring in $3.79 trillion in investments across renewable power, storage, distributed energy, and clean mobility manufacturing.
Electric mobility would be the largest employer within the green sector, accounting for more than 57% of all energy-transition jobs.
The study says the bio-economy and nature-based solutions could create 23 million jobs and generate $415 billion in market value. Job-rich segments include chemical-free farming and bio-inputs with 7.2 million FTE positions, agroforestry and sustainable forest management with 4.7 million FTE roles, and wetland management with 3.7 million FTE jobs.
Abhishek Jain, director of Green Economy and Impact Innovations at CEEW, said India’s shift toward a green economy would support economic growth and protect future resources. "India today imports 87% of its crude, which can be reduced to zero with electric vehicles, solar energy, and next-generation bioethanol and biodiesel. We import 100% of our lithium, nickel, and cobalt, and even 93% of copper ore — all of which can become zero-import with a circular economy."
He added, "We are heavily dependent on fertiliser imports — all of our potash is imported, and 88% of urea is directly or indirectly import-dependent. With bio-inputs for agriculture and the bioeconomy at large, we can secure our food and material needs. For India, green is not a choice; it is an imperative."