As WSDS turns 25, India positions sustainability talks around action, diplomacy, and the Global South

TERI leadership says the 2026 edition of the World Sustainable Development Summit will move beyond dialogue to implementation aligned with global climate priorities

Mumbai, 5 February 2026: The Energy and Resources Institute convened a pre event press conference in New Delhi to outline the vision, priorities, and global context for the 25th edition of the World Sustainable Development Summit, scheduled to be held from 25 to 27 February 2026. The interaction was hosted at the India Habitat Centre and set the stage for the Silver Jubilee edition of the Summit.
Over the last 25 years, WSDS has evolved into a globally recognised platform shaping sustainability discourse across climate action, energy transitions, and sustainable development. Through the Summit, TERI has brought together governments, multilateral institutions, industry, finance, and civil society, with a consistent emphasis on Global South perspectives and South South cooperation.

The 2026 edition marks a quarter century of the Summit’s journey, with TERI positioning the milestone edition as a shift from vision setting and dialogue toward action oriented partnerships and policy relevant outcomes. The Summit is expected to complement India’s global climate engagement, particularly in the context of upcoming international and multilateral priorities.
Welcoming the media, Vibha Dhawan, Director General of TERI, outlined the relevance of the Summit against the backdrop of climate, development, and geopolitical challenges. She said the umbrella theme “परिवर्तन | Transformations: Vision, Voices, and Values” reflects WSDS’s evolution from inclusive conversations to accelerated implementation. She explained that the theme integrates forward looking strategies, participatory engagement, and value driven approaches to sustainability.

Delivering a special address, Leena Nandan, Distinguished Fellow at TERI and former Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, reflected on the role of policy coherence and institutional capacity in environmental governance. She said the Silver Jubilee edition would bring together future oriented ideas, implementation focused narratives, and a renewed emphasis on hope and collaboration in sustainability action.
Presenting an overview of the Summit, Shailly Kedia, Curator of WSDS and Director at TERI, highlighted the key themes, focus areas, and expected outcomes of the 2026 edition. She underlined WSDS’s role as a science policy platform enabling evidence based dialogue and multi stakeholder engagement.

Offering a diplomatic and global perspective, Manjeev Singh Puri, Distinguished Fellow at TERI and former Indian diplomat, emphasised the importance of international cooperation and Global South leadership in addressing climate and sustainability challenges. He said while sustainability challenges are global, solutions must be rooted in local action, adding that WSDS plays a unique role in bringing science, policy, and practice together in a Global South context.
Concluding the session, Sanjay Seth, Chairperson of the WSDS Silver Jubilee Committee and Senior Director at TERI, reflected on the Summit’s legacy over the past 25 years. He said strengthening Global South voices remains central to WSDS’s purpose and invited media stakeholders to engage with the Summit as partners in shaping sustainability narratives and transitions.

WSDS 2026 is expected to bring together leaders from policy, industry, finance, technology, and civil society, with discussions anchored in real world implementation and measurable outcomes. TERI said the Summit aims to reinforce India’s role in advancing sustainable development discourse while catalysing partnerships that translate ideas into action.

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