India shows growth and inclusion can rise together: UNDP Chief

India has shown that rapid economic growth and strong social inclusion can advance simultaneously, offering a model that many nations are now studying, UNDP Acting Administrator Haoliang Xu said during his three-day visit to the country.

In an interview to PTI, Xu noted that India’s development journey is defined not just by economic gains but by the strategic use of technology, data, and participatory governance to ensure that “no one is left behind.” He said India's commitments to climate adaptation, renewable energy, and digital financial inclusion provide a “blueprint” for balancing growth with sustainability.

Xu highlighted that global human development progress has slowed to a 35-year low, making India’s initiatives particularly noteworthy. He praised flagship programmes such as MGNREGA and Ayushman Bharat for blending livelihood security with social protection, and he emphasised the transformative impact of India’s digital public infrastructure including the Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) trinity and UPI which has enabled transparent delivery of government benefits to millions.

He also pointed to the Aspirational Districts Programme as an example of how data-driven governance can reduce regional disparities and promote equitable growth. India’s increasing emphasis on green jobs, climate-resilient livelihoods, and community-based conservation further aligns economic opportunity with environmental responsibility, he said.

Xu praised India’s digital solutions such as UPI, CoWIN, and the newly developed U-WIN platform, an electronic system for tracking maternal and child immunisation built with UNDP support, describing them as people-centric innovations that solve real-world challenges at scale. Their open, public infrastructure design, he said, prevents monopolies and reduces costs.

On global challenges, the UNDP chief stressed the urgent need for accessible and predictable climate finance, noting that developing countries will require USD 2.4 trillion annually by 2030 to meet climate goals. He said the ongoing COP30 in Brazil must prioritise simpler financing systems, multi-year commitments, and stronger support for climate adaptation, which delivers “up to ten dollars in returns for every dollar invested.”

Xu said UNDP is helping countries design integrated national financing frameworks that channel public and private investments towards Sustainable Development Goals, including climate action. “India’s development lessons are shaping a more equitable and sustainable world,” he said, adding that UNDP is working closely with India to share these models with developing countries across the Global South.