The India-UK Track II Dialogue on Climate and Energy was initiated in 2021 by the Ananta Aspen Centre in New Delhi and the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

A Track II Dialogue is an engagement between individuals who are not representatives of governments, and are usually located in business, academia, or civil society.

The India-UK Track II Dialogue on Climate and Energy is co-chaired by Professor Lord Nicholas Stern, Chair of the Grantham Research Institute, and Mr Jamshyd Godrej, Chairman of Ananta Centre and Chairman and Managing Director of Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd.

The co-chairs and participants are drawn from a wide range of sectors, including business, civil society and academia, to discuss strategic issues of shared interest and concern. The delegations from the UK and India meet in person at least annually to keep pace with the rapidly evolving climate policy landscape, as well as shifts in national positions, new evidence emerging from the research community, innovations in the business sector, and other developments. The meetings also provide opportunities for the participants to engage with topical experts and policymakers from both countries.

All Dialogue meetings are held under the Chatham House Rule. The co-chairs synthesise the Dialogue’s discussions through the format of joint statements to debrief their official government counterparts.

The UK’s participation in the Track II Dialogue has been supported through generous funding from the European Climate Foundation. For enquiries about the Dialogue, please contact Dr Kamya Choudhary at k.choudhary4@lse.ac.uk

Aims of the Dialogue

The participants in the Dialogue explore new areas of collaboration and strategic partnerships, as well as linkages to issues that are discussed by the two governments through their Track I Dialogue. Specifically, the aims of the Track II Dialogue are:

  • assist the two governments to find solutions extending beyond the contours of the existing bilateral relationship;
  • build deeper relationships between experts from both countries that will aid the Track I process;
  • consolidate the India and UK positions on the topics being discussed;
  • demonstrate multi-lateral leadership on energy and climate change;
  • provide a non-partisan, independent and open platform for frank and comprehensive discussions on issues pertaining to:
    • common priorities and challenges in domestic & international climate policy on both sides;
    • explore energy innovations and emerging technologies;
    • identify low carbon pathways for employment & economic growth;
    • look at climate resilience and a just energy transition; and
    • chart mechanisms for the flow of green finance etc.

Meetings of the Track II Dialogue

The inaugural meeting of the Track II Dialogue was held virtually on 25-26 April 2021. The two Co-Chairs released a joint statement following the meeting. The meeting was held ahead of a virtual summit between India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the then UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The two countries jointly published a ‘2030 Roadmap for India-UK future relations’ following the summit. Clause 21.9 of to the 2030 Roadmap commits the two countries to “encourage Track II dialogues on climate-related themes including the India-UK Track II Dialogue on Climate and Energy”.

An interim virtual Dialogue meeting was convened on 24 September 2021 in the lead up to COP26. The two Co-Chairs released a joint statement following the meeting.

On 4-6 May 2022, the third meeting of the Dialogue in-person in London and Cambridge, UK. The two Co-Chairs wrote a joint letter to the then Prime Minister of the UK, Boris Johnson, and Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi.

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