India has withdrawn its bid to host the 2028 COP33 climate summit, according to sources who spoke to AFP on Wednesday.
A government official and another source familiar with the negotiations confirmed a report by Climate Home News indicating that India had quietly stepped back from the hosting process.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had initially proposed India as the venue in 2023, though the government has yet to make an official announcement explaining the decision.
Harjeet Singh, an Indian climate activist and veteran of previous COP meetings, described the move as a “strategic missed opportunity” for India to advocate for the interests of the Global South.
READ ALSO: Vulnerable Nations Demand Major Climate Finance Boost at COP29 Summit
“The global climate narrative must be framed around the needs of the developing world,” Singh, who is director of the Satat Sampada Foundation, said in a statement.
India last hosted a COP summit in 2002 with COP8 in New Delhi. Hosting another conference would have required consensus among other nations in the Asian bloc, as the annual UN climate gatherings rotate between regional groups.
This year, COP31 is set to be held in Turkey, with COP32 scheduled in Ethiopia in 2027.
Following India’s withdrawal, it remains unclear which Asian country will step forward to host COP33, and whether South Korea — which had previously expressed interest — is still willing to take on the event.