Forging the Future: India's Open Network for Carbon Markets

India is gearing up to launch its Carbon Credit Trading System. IIM Bangalore's CDPG organized a roundtable to conceptualize an Open Network for Carbon Markets, aiming to resolve challenges in India's global carbon market participation. The network promises open digital infrastructure for seamless carbon credit trading, even at grassroots levels.

As India sets its sights on initiating a Carbon Credit Trading System, IIM Bangalore's Centre for Digital Public Goods (CDPG) has taken a significant step forward. On March 19, 2026, CDPG convened a roundtable to discuss the creation of an Open Network for Carbon Markets (ONCM). The event gathered key stakeholders, including regulators, technology providers, and corporate entities, to address existing challenges in India's carbon market.

The proposed ONCM, developed in collaboration with Networks for Humanity, aims to streamline fragmented registries and simplify cross-border trading while ensuring transparency and fair pricing. By building an open digital infrastructure, the network seeks to make carbon credit trading more accessible to a wider audience, including small-scale farmers wishing to capitalize on their farm assets.

Prof. R Srinivasan, Chairperson of CDPG, stressed the significance of an interoperable network, enabling both Indian industries and micro-entrepreneurs to engage in the global carbon markets effectively. The roundtable led to concrete plans for pilot implementations, marking a pivotal moment in India's carbon trading landscape.

(With inputs from agencies.)