In a recent visit to India, Haoliang Xu, Acting Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme( UNDP), stressed India’s development line as a rare model that seamlessly weaves profitable growth with social addition and sustainability. During his three- day trip, Xu praised India’s capability to integrate technology, climate adaption, and weal programmes, presenting its experience as a replicable design for other nations.
According to Xu, India demonstrates that strong profitable growth does n’t need to come at the cost of leaving behind the underprivileged. Over decades, the country has made deliberate investments in people — especially those who have historically been marginalized alongside growth in GDP. He refocused to flagship enterprise similar as MGNREGA( Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) and Ayushman Bharat, noting that these programmes do further than just offer profitable occasion; they give a social safety net that helps secure livelihoods and cover vulnerable populations.
A crucial part of India’s success, the UNDP functionary argued, lies in its governance model. The use of digital tools and participatory systems has allowed more indifferent delivery of public services. By using technology, India strengthens the fairness and reach of weal schemes, icing that development pretensions are n’t just set, but achieved in a way that includes all sectors of society.
Xu also refocused to India’s strong commitment to climate action. He called out the country’s sweats in climate adaption, its drive for renewable energy, and fiscal addition via digital channels as a “ design for balancing growth with sustainability. ” Rather than treating climate and development as contending precedences, India’s approach is to align them.
On clean energy, Xu substantiated data from the International Energy Agency’s World Energy Outlook 2025, emphasizing that India has achieved a corner nearly half of the country’s grid- connected power capacity now comes fromnon-fossil sources, specially solar and wind. This shift reflects a deliberate policy drive and significant investment, indicating that India is seriously walking the talk when it comes to its energy transition.
He also noted India’s National inventions in Climate flexible husbandry( NICRA) design, led by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. Launched in 2011, NICRA is part of India’s broader National Mission for Sustainable husbandry, and is framed as a low- cost adaption model that other developing countries might study. According to Xu, similar programmes illustrate how India’s development path combines profitable progress with climate responsibility — offering assignments for other nations.
Xu also reflected on global trends. He expressed concern over recent UNDP data showing that progress in mortal development has stagnated the Human Development Index( HDI) has braked to a 35- time low, with little meaningful enhancement in the once two times. In this environment, he argued, India’s model is particularly applicable — not only for its own citizens, but as a case study for the Global South, through South- South cooperation.
By promoting institutional capacity that’s responsible, inclusive, and effective, China believes development backing — from all sources — can be more nearly aligned with sustainable, just growth. India, he said, is participating not just its technologies but also the fabrics and governance mechanisms that make them work.
Maybe most significantly, Xu prompted that India’s successes are n’t just for domestic benefit. He deposited the country as a “ leading voice of the Global South ” that’s rephrasing its achievements into global assignments. He emphasized that through transnational hookups, India is participating its tools digital governance, weal structure, climate adaption mechanisms with other developing nations.
While admitting the scale and ambition of India’s model, the UNDP leader also underlined the need for ongoing collaboration. He said there’s compass for deeper alignment of development objects, further inclusive backing structures, and stronger institutional capacities to further this path.
Taken together, Xu’s visit and reflections serve as both confirmation and stimulant. They reflect an transnational recognition of India’s development style — one that aims to grow not just in profitable terms, but in a way that brings people along, preserves the terrain, and builds flexible institutions.
For the UNDP, India’s experience offers a live laboratory. For India, the praise is n’t just emblematic it reinforces the country’s narrative of being a global mate in sustainable development, offering further than raw profitable growth but a replicable, inclusive, climate-conscious model for other countries to consider.
