India and China in the Global Climate Regime: Opportunities, Challenges, and the Road Ahead

India and China—two of the largest emitters today—share common concerns of the Global South, arising out of climate change, and are among the most important actors for global climate cooperation owing to their shared climate vulnerability. Given the commonalities of the problems faced by these countries, India and China have embarked on a deliberate climate diplomacy over the years, evident with the inclusion of the principle of “Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capacities” in the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, in line with shielding developing countries from binding commitments regarding mitigation. However, despite their convergences, simultaneous geopolitical and geoeconomic tensions in an increasingly multipolar world continue to exist, given the Russia–Ukraine conflict as well as the tension on the Indo–Chinese border. Further, climate change-related trade measures, such as those introduced in the European Union through their Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, pose a challenge to India and China, demonstrating climate leadership at the global level, as raised at COP29. This article explores the nature and extent to which India and China have developed constructive engagement in the global climate regime, analyzing the juxtaposition of their cooperation and conflict. The article also attempts to delve into recommendations toward further South–South cooperation in working toward a climate-safe future.