With the 2030 SDG deadline nearing, innovative strategies are essential. India, as a leading voice for the Global South, holds a pivotal role in bridging gaps and advancing progress.
Image Source: Getty
The United Nations introduced the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015. These 17 interlinked goals aim to address pressing global challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, and environmental degradation by 2030. Despite their ambitious nature, implementing the SDGs, including inherent contradictions, faces significant challenges. For instance, SDG 8 advocates rapid economic growth, whereas SDG 13 calls for urgent action to combat climate change. These conflicts underscore the complexity of balancing development, ecological sustainability, and human well-being.
While Nordic nations lead in SDG achievement and BRICS countries show some advances, least developed nations are falling further behind, widening global disparities.
Only 16 percent of SDG targets show progress, while areas such as hunger (SDG 2), sustainable cities (SDG 11), biodiversity (SDGs 14 and 15), and justice (SDG 16) are regressing. Challenges such as biodiversity loss, rising obesity, declining press freedom, and the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on life expectancy (SDG 3) have further hindered progress. While Nordic nations lead in SDG achievement and BRICS countries show some advances, least developed nations are falling further behind, widening global disparities. As the 2030 deadline approaches, innovative strategies are needed to harmonise these goals effectively. India, a key advocate for the Global South, has a critical role to play in bridging gaps and driving progress.
The disparities between developed and developing nations in infrastructure, healthcare, and technological capacity hinder SDG implementation in the Global South. However, financing remains one of the most significant hurdles. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual SDG financing gap in developing countries was estimated at US$ 2.5 trillion. Per UN estimates, this shortfall has risen to US$ 4.2 trillion annually post-pandemic. On a global level, India could advocate for Sustainable Development Bond Guarantees through the G20, enabling multilateral development banks to provide credit guarantees for SDG-focused projects in developing economies.
Figure 1: Capital Expenditure Requirements Across Key SDG Verticals (US$ trillion)
Source: World Economic Forum, 2023
Between 2021 to 2022, UNCTAD estimates reveal that official development assistance (ODA) for developing nations decreased by 2 percent and fell by more than 3.5 percent for Africa, Asia, Oceania and least developed countries. India’s partnerships with African and Indo-Pacific nations through joint development projects exemplify the benefits of these collaborations. However, the shortage of financial and technical resources across developing nations limits the scalability of such initiatives.
Climate change poses a distinct challenge to the progress of multiple SDGs, such as food security (SDG 2), water access (SDG 6), and poverty reduction (SDG 1), particularly in developing regions like South Asia. The World Bank estimates climate change could push 132 million people into poverty by 2030, with most affected people residing in developing countries. Over 60 percent of India’s agriculture is rain-fed, making it particularly susceptible to changing rainfall patterns, extreme weather events, and rising temperatures. Despite India’s ambitious renewable energy targets, more emphasis is needed on climate adaptation, particularly for rural and vulnerable populations.
The private sector is critical to unlocking the investment required to achieve the SDGs, particularly in infrastructure and sustainable urban development. India has made significant strides through its Smart Cities Mission and other public-private partnership (PPP) models. Still, these projects often struggle with regulatory uncertainty, risk perception, and a lack of standardised frameworks. This makes it challenging to attract large-scale investments, particularly in sectors like clean energy and sustainable transport, where upfront capital costs are high, and returns may be long-term.
Over 60 percent of India’s agriculture is rain-fed, making it particularly susceptible to changing rainfall patterns, extreme weather events, and rising temperatures.
In addition to direct climate impacts, migration pressures are intensifying due to environmental degradation. The World Bank predicts that by 2050, 143 million people across Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America could be displaced by climate change. India is already experiencing rural-to-urban migration driven by droughts and floods, which strain urban infrastructure and exacerbate inequalities. A National Climate Migration Policy could integrate adaptation strategies with social welfare programmes to support internally displaced populations.
International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates suggest that while the transition to green economies could create 24 million jobs globally by 2030, it could also result in the loss of 6 million jobs in traditional sectors like coal, oil, and manufacturing. India, which relies heavily on coal for its energy needs, faces a dilemma: how to industrialise and create jobs without exacerbating environmental degradation. Domestically, India should also implement a Carbon Pricing Mechanism incentivising companies to adopt cleaner technologies and reduce their environmental impact.
Technological evolution is a powerful driver for accelerating progress toward SDG targets, but its uneven distribution creates significant disparities. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), 2.7 billion people globally still lack access to the Internet, with the majority residing in developing countries. Digital inclusion could significantly enhance progress toward SDGs like quality education (SDG 4) and healthcare (SDG 3), but many communities will be left behind without addressing the digital divide.
Over 50 percent of rural households in India remain disconnected from the digital world, severely limiting access to online education, healthcare, and financial services—critical drivers of SDG progress. Launching a National Digital Literacy and Access Program could provide affordable digital devices and broadband connectivity coupled with skill development initiatives to ensure that the country's underserved populations fully leverage the opportunities that come with digital access.
Digital inclusion could significantly enhance progress toward SDGs like quality education (SDG 4) and healthcare (SDG 3), but many communities will be left behind without addressing the digital divide.
According to the UN Development Programme (UNDP), nearly half of global SDG indicators lack sufficient data, making it difficult to track progress. Robust monitoring and accountability are essential for achieving the SDGs, but the absence of reliable data poses a significant challenge, particularly in developing countries. In India, the SDG India Index, which tracks progress at the state level, has been a pioneering effort in promoting transparency and accountability.
Figure 2: Overview of SDG India Index 2023
Source: SDG India Index Report, 2023
Finally, as the 2030 deadline approaches, the SDGs face emerging challenges that demand forward-looking strategies. Digital equity, artificial intelligence (AI), and resilient urbanisation are becoming increasingly critical. India’s proactive approach to navigating these challenges positions it as a global leader in sustainable development. By fostering international collaboration, implementing innovative policies, and preparing for post-2030 challenges, India can strengthen its role in shaping a more inclusive and resilient future. 21
Soumya Bhowmick is a Fellow and Lead of World Economies and Sustainability at the Centre for New Economic Diplomacy (CNED) at the Observer Research Foundation
(The author acknowledges ORF intern Tanisha Paul for her research assistance.)
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Soumya Bhowmick is a Fellow and Lead, World Economies and Sustainability at the Centre for New Economic Diplomacy (CNED) at Observer Research Foundation (ORF). He ...
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