India withdraws bid to host COP33 climate talks

The Indian government has quietly withdrawn its offer to host the COP33 climate summit in 2028, Climate Home News has learned.

An Indian official informed other nations of the decision on April 2, saying the offer – first made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December 2023 – was being withdrawn “following a review of its commitments for the year 2028”.

No additional explanation has been provided. The Indian government has not publicly announced the decision and did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Climate Home News is the first to report the withdrawal.

The decision leaves uncertainty over the host country of COP33, which will follow COP31 in Türkiye and COP32 in Ethiopia.

While on the campaign trail before his election in 2025, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said he wanted to host the annual talks and, according to local media, the Korean province of Jeollanam-do has campaigned to host the summit.

But an official from the country’s climate ministry told Climate Home News on Wednesday that the national government has not formally expressed an interest in hosting COP33. “While local governments may pursue such interests for reasons including regional development and tourism, these do not represent the position of the national government,” he said.

“Furthermore,” wrote Boyoung Kang, director at the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, “given that the Republic of Korea is preparing to host the G20 Summit in 2028, it remains uncertain whether the government would have the capacity to consider hosting COP33, which entails substantial financial and logistical commitments.”

The right to host the annual climate COP negotiations rotates between the UN’s five regional groups. This year’s COP31 will be co-hosted by Türkiye and Australia – both members of the Western Europe and Others Group – and next year’s will be in the capital city of Ethiopia, a representative of the African Group.

The Asia-Pacific Group is next in line. India had been widely expected to host COP33 after Modi announced the country’s bid at COP28 in Dubai in 2023.

In July 2025, the BRICS group of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa said in a joint statement that they “welcomed” India’s candidacy to host COP33.

In the same month, The Hindu reported that the Indian government had set up a “cell” under the climate change division of the environment ministry to prepare for the summit.

Change of heart

But a letter dated 2 April – seen and verified by Climate Home News – confirms the reversal. In it, Rajat Agarwal, the environment ministry official responsible for liaising with the UNFCCC, informed the chair of the Asia-Pacific Group that India is withdrawing its candidacy.

The four-paragraph letter says India will continue to engage constructively with the international community on climate action and appreciates the “support and solidarity” of the Asia-Pacific countries during its bid for candidacy.

Harjeet Singh, founder of the Delhi-based Satat Sampada Climate Foundation, said in a statement that India’s withdrawal is a “strategic missed opportunity”.

He said that the government was forfeiting a stage on which to showcase its renewable energy and electric mobility achievements and a platform to champion the Global South.

“COP33 should have been the forum where India demanded accountability for historical emissions, ensuring that a just transition to a green economy doesn’t come at the expense of energy access for the world’s most vulnerable,” he concluded.

This article was updated to include Harjeet Singh’s comment and amended to clarify South Korea’s position on hosting COP33

The post India withdraws bid to host COP33 climate talks appeared first on Climate Home News.