Sustainability initiatives can only achieve large-scale impact if they are financially viable and commercially attractive. Naresh Tyagi of the Indian Chemical Council (ICCS) stresses that while environmental responsibility is critical, businesses will adopt green practices more widely when they align with profitability, cost efficiency, and long-term competitiveness. The article underscores the need for policy support, innovation, and industry collaboration to create market-driven sustainability solutions, particularly in energy transition, resource efficiency, and circular economy practices. It concludes that making sustainability economically practical is essential for accelerating India’s broader climate and industrial goals.

The rapid growth of India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and questions whether its expansion is financially sustainable. While UPI has revolutionized digital payments with record transaction volumes and widespread adoption, much of its growth has been supported by government incentives and subsidies for banks and fintech players. The piece highlights concerns that zero merchant discount rates (MDR) and reliance on state-backed incentives may strain public finances and limit long-term viability. Industry experts argue that for UPI to remain sustainable, policymakers may need to rethink revenue models, cost-sharing mechanisms, and private sector participation, ensuring innovation and infrastructure growth without excessive fiscal dependence.

India must transform its public transport networks to meet growing urban demand while reducing environmental impact. It highlights the need to shift from fossil fuel–dependent systems to electric mobility, cleaner fuels, and integrated multimodal transport solutions. The article emphasises improving policy coordination, financing models, and infrastructure planning to ensure efficiency and accessibility. It also stresses the importance of data-driven decision-making, private sector participation, and behavioural change to encourage public transport use. Ultimately, it argues that sustainable public transport is key to reducing congestion, lowering emissions, and building resilient, future-ready cities in India.