By Pradeep S. Mehta
In India, the circular economy is not a borrowed idea — it is a cultural legacy. Woven into our traditions, values, and daily practices, circularity has long been a way of life rather than a policy. Long before terms like “circular economy” or “sustainable consumption” entered the global discourse, Indian households have lived these values without fanfare, but with conviction. Sustainability wasn’t strategy, it is a way of life. It was sanskar (culture) — part of how we were raised to think and act. Old saris became quilts.
Oil tins turned into storage boxes. Clothes were mended by neighbourhood tailors, often shared across siblings, and rarely wasted. Leaving behind uneaten food in the plate was blasphemous. These weren’t acts of altruism but acts of reverence. Our ancestors practiced what the world now preaches: respect for resources, minimisation of waste, and living in harmony with nature. Circularity ran through our festivals, rituals, and rural economies, echoing philosophy rooted in regeneration and restraint.
What looked like thrift was a deep ecological worldview. While industrial economies raced ahead with the linear “take-make-dispose” model, India retained its cultural ethic of renewal. But even we haven’t been immune to the pull of hyper-consumerism. Aspirations have shifted.
Global supply chains have shortened product life cycles, advertising has redefined needs as wants, and durability has given way to disposability. Even those striving to make responsible choices find themselves caught in a dilemma, as sustainable alternatives, when available, are often expensive or inaccessible.
From Cultural Memory to Climate Mission: In this landscape, where conscious choices are difficult and traditional wisdom is fading, India needs a new path — one that reconnects with its roots while aligning with global climate goals.
It is in this context that Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October 2022 alongside UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, becomes highly relevant. Framed as a global mass movement, Mission LiFE calls for shifting from wasteful consumption to mindful, purpose driven living.
It identifies individual behaviour as the core of climate action, urging people to make small, impactful changes in daily life. We have had Ecomark, the environmental labelling scheme, in India since 1991, but it has hardly been successful because of lack of political will. Very few products qualified under that which were also not marketed with the environmental attributes.
Few years ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the scheme and suggested that it should be revived and to begin with, products made from waste be promoted under the Ecomark scheme. This step would have pushed our circular economy in a big way. Alas, there was little traction then and even today.
However, many such products are being promoted by businesses. The transformative potential here is vast. Even without Ecomark, campaigns now promote energy efficient appliances, electric mobility, and responsible e-waste disposal. A working paper by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister estimates that a circular economy path could reduce India’s greenhouse gas emissions by 23 per cent in 2030 and by 44 per cent in 2050 compared to current trajectory, significantly supporting our Paris Agreement commitments.
Making Sustainability the Default, Not the Privilege: But real transformation demands more than individual resolve. The burden of sustainability cannot rest solely on consumers, especially when eco-friendly choices remain a luxury. If organic food, renewable energy and ethically produced goods are costlier and less accessible than their polluting counterparts, sustainability risks becoming an elite pursuit. The challenge, therefore, is systemic: how do we make sustainable consumption the default — affordable, aspirational, and available to all? This is where policy and industry must lead.
Green innovation needs investment. Circular businesses must be incentivised. Sustainable goods must enter mainstream supply chains. Urban planning must support zero waste models, shared mobility, and walkable cities. Subsidies must move from fossil fuels to renewables and regenerative agriculture. India is already making bold moves. The Green Credit Programme, launched in 2023, aims to create a market where eco-positive actions earn tradable credits, offering economic incentives for sustainability.
Still, much remains to be done and addressed. Recent reports indicate that several leading electronics companies are resisting India’s e-waste rules under EPR, calling them overly strict, expensive and difficult to comply with. Sustainability cannot be optional, especially by those who have long profited from a linear, extractive economy driven by planned obsolescence and unchecked consumption. To overcome resistance, we need not just regulate, but affirm circularity as the way ahead. A contemporary reflection of this ethos lies in the global second-hand trade.
In many regions, markets for pre-owned garments and used cars support livelihoods, offer affordability, and slow the production waste cycle. Yet, these markets are unfairly stigmatised as symbols of underdevelopment rather than tools of sustainability. Instead of discouraging them, policy must dignify and strengthen such markets. Religious traditions can play a transformative role. Research from the UK finds that Hindus in India exhibit the highest concern about the environmental impact of their consumption.
This cultural capital, rooted in values of restraint and interdependence, can become a powerful lever for change, if activated with care and inclusivity. India stands at a unique juncture. It has the policy momentum, the cultural heritage, and the demographic energy to lead a truly transformative circular economy model.
Success will depend on how well we bridge past and future, tradition and innovation. In doing so, India can offer the world not just climate solutions, but civilisational wisdom — reminding us that the circular economy isn’t just about managing materials, but about reimagining our relationship with the planet.
The writer is the secretary-general of CUTS International, a 40-year-old leading global public policy research and advocacy group. He is also a founder member of the Government of India’s Ecomark scheme.
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