As the COP30 negotiations in Brazil intensify in the push for an elusive final agreement, India has yet to file its updated nationally determined contribution (NDC) or climate pledges, the last major holdout. The world’s third-biggest polluter says it will do so once clarity emerges on how much climate financing is available, reflecting New Delhi’s energy priorities and politics. India has built close to 200 gigawatts of installed renewable capacity over the last decade. But amid little demand from utilities for renewables without storage options, it is pivoting to more dependable coal-fired power, and its clean energy push is stalling despite residents in the capital choking as the air quality index tops 400, well into the emergency “hazardous” category.