The Corporate Affairs Ministry (MCA) will continue to strive to provide an enabling environment for Indian companies with the objective of making them globally competitive and aligned with sustainable development goals, Rajesh Verma, Secretary, MCA has said.

Addressing the first ever ESG Summit organised virtually by industry chamber FICCI, Verma said that ESG (environmental, social and governance) investments and sustainable finance will play a critical role in India achieving a $5 trillion economy. For achieving this milestone, the country’s growth process needs to be aligned with the aim of achieving sustainable development goals by 2030 and net zero by 2070, he said.

Verma highlighted that ESG investments in India have been growing steadily. As of September 30, 2021, there were eight ESG thematic equity schemes with AUM of more than ₹12,000 crore. He also saw lot of potential for green bonds in the Indian market, stating that it is one of the key instruments of finance.