Authors: S. Prasanna Kumar, Hari Hara Sudhan, Abdul Ajeez.
Abstract: Green finance has emerged as a vital mechanism for promoting sustainable development by aligning environmental priorities with economic growth. Rising environmental degradation, climate change and increasing carbon emission largely driven by rapid industrialization and conventional financial system have intensified the need to redirect financial resources towards environmental sustainability activities. This examines the impact of green finance on sustainable growth in India. It analyzes the expansion of green finance instruments, evaluates their contribution to carbon emission reduction and assesses their role in advancing renewable energy and environmentally responsible investments. The findings indicate a steady increase in green bond issuance and sustainable debt instruments in India, reflecting growing investor awareness supportive regulatory measures and proactive policy initiatives. Green bonds account for a significant share of the sustainable debt market primarily financing renewable energy ,clean transportation and sustainable infrastructure projects comparative emission analysis further shows that electric vehicles significantly reduce lifecycle carbon emissions compared to conventional vehicles , thereby supporting India transition towards a low carbon economy .Despite this progress challenges such as the lack of a standardized green taxonomy limited private sector participation investment risks and concern related to greenwashing continue to hinder broader implementation .Lastly strengthening regulatory frameworks enhancing environmental, social and governance disclosure standards and encouraging greater private sector involvement are essential to maximizing the long term environmental and economic benefits of green finance in India.
