India has withdrawn its bid to host the United Nations’ COP33 climate summit in 2028 after carrying out a review of its commitments, Reuters and Climate Home News reported. Officials, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to comment publicly, said the decision was communicated earlier this month but did not provide detailed reasons for the withdrawal.
The move reverses an earlier proposal by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2023 that India would host the global climate summit, a key annual meeting under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Climate Home News, which first reported the development, cited a letter from an Indian official to the chair of the Asia-Pacific Group saying India had stepped back following a “review of its commitments” for 2028.
India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and the UN climate body’s secretariat had not issued an official response at the time of reporting. Reuters noted the officials declined to be named.
Hosting a COP gathering carries significant diplomatic weight and substantial logistical demands: summits draw government leaders, negotiators, businesses and civil society to advance international climate agreements and track progress on emissions reductions. India’s withdrawal therefore leaves uncertainty within the Asia-Pacific group-which is next in line under the UN’s regional rotation-over which country will now propose to host the 2028 conference.
The decision could reshape regional preparations and diplomatic positioning ahead of COP33, though specifics about India’s internal review or whether it might reconsider its bid were not disclosed in the reports. Reuters and Climate Home News supplied the reporting for this development.
Original Source: https://www.firstpost.com/india/india-withdraws-bid-to-host-cop33-climate-summit-in-2028-ws-e-13998133.html
Category: India
Tags:
Publish Date: 2026-04-08 20:55:00
