The PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry held Carbon Shift India 2026 in New Delhi, focusing on how Indian industry can prepare for the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). Speakers from SIDBI, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, and industry bodies discussed the need for stronger carbon pricing, better emissions monitoring, and support for small and medium enterprises. The event highlighted that CBAM is already putting pressure on Indian steel and aluminium exports to Europe, and that MSMEs face the highest compliance burden due to verification costs and technology gaps. Key takeaways include a call for India to build robust measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) capacity, expand clean energy access for smaller manufacturers, and simplify carbon reporting. The conference also stressed that carbon competitiveness is now a permanent factor in global trade, not a temporary hurdle. For anyone tracking carbon market development or industrial decarbonization policy in India, this event signals where the pressure points are and what kind of support mechanisms are being discussed.
