India’s growth story is not just about economic progress but also about using technology and participatory governance to ensure development goals are achieved and no one is left behind, said UNDP Acting Administrator Haoliang Xu.
In an interview with PTIAccording to Xu, India’s commitment to climate adaptation, renewable energy and inclusive digital finance provides a blueprint for balancing growth and sustainability.
India continues to shape “development pathways” that are both economically sound and climate responsible, he said.
The UN Under-Secretary-General and Acting Administrator of UNDP was in India on a three-day visit to strengthen and identify new areas of cooperation, including on digital transformation and climate action.
Speaking about urgent global challenges, Xu said the UNDP’s latest Human Development Index shows that global progress in human development has slowed to a 35-year low and has virtually stagnated in the past two years.
At the same time, he praised India’s development model to tackle various challenges including climate change and poverty.
“The country’s commitment to just transitions, climate adaptation, renewable energy and inclusive digital finance provides a blueprint for balancing growth and sustainability,” he said.
“We can work together to further align development goals, development financing from all sources, and effective, accountable and inclusive institutional capacity,” Xu said in the email interview.
The UNDP chief said India has shown that rapid growth can come with deliberate investment in people, especially those who have been historically left behind.
“As the leading voice of the Global South, India helps translate local success stories into global lessons through South-South cooperation, sharing not just the tools and technology, but also the frameworks that make them work,” he said.
Xu specifically referred to India’s flagship programs such as MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) and Ayushman Bharat, saying they combined livelihood security with social protection.
He said India’s digital public infrastructure and financial inclusion platforms, including “Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, Mobile (JAM) Trinity and UPI (Unified Payments Interface)” have enabled transparent, direct delivery of benefits to hundreds of millions of people, and are examples that many countries are now studying.
JAM is an initiative that links one’s bank account (Jan Dhan), biometric identity (Aadhaar) and mobile number to enable direct benefit transfers (DBT) from the government.
Initiatives like the Aspirational Districts Program show how data, evidence and community participation can reduce regional disparities and make growth more equitable, Xu said.
The UNDP Acting Administrator noted that India’s increasing focus on “green jobs and climate-resilient livelihoods” – from renewable energy to community-based conservation – aligns economic opportunities with environmental stewardship and the Sustainable Development Goals.
“The next phase of growth can further expand quality jobs, gender equality and climate resilience to keep development inclusive and sustainable,” he said.
“India’s story is not just about growth, it is also about using technology, evidence and participatory governance to ensure development goals are achieved and no one is left behind,” he said.
“These lessons are shaping a more just and sustainable world. Through South-South Cooperation, UNDP is pleased to be India’s partner and share them with other developing countries worldwide,” he said.
Xu also complimented India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and CoWIN (Covid Vaccine Intelligence Network), saying they are successful because they are built to solve practical, everyday problems.
“UPI made digital payments as easy as sending a text message. CoWIN tracked the administration of more than two billion vaccine doses in record time during the COVID-19 pandemic, giving everyone a verifiable vaccination record,” he said.
The top UNDP official said the Indian platforms are unique in that they run on an open, public digital infrastructure.
“This design stimulates competition, reduces transaction costs and prevents monopolies.”
“India’s latest digital healthcare innovation, U-WIN (Universal Immunization WIN), is an advanced digital platform designed to electronically record and monitor the vaccination status of all expectant mothers and children across India,” he said.
“This people-centric platform – developed with technical support from UNDP – tracks and improves vaccine coverage across the country,” he added.
Xu also called for concrete global efforts to combat climate change.
“Today, developing countries need around US$2.4 trillion annually for climate action by 2030. The current multilateral financial commitment is reflected in the Baku-Belem Roadmap, which calls on all actors to work together to scale up financing to US$1.3 trillion annually by 2025,” he said.
“Yet access to climate finance is still far too slow and complex. The climate crisis is here and now, and developing countries urgently need support to achieve their goals at scale,” he said.
Published on November 16, 2025
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