Recently declassified US diplomatic documents reveal that India played a pivotal role in shaping the structure and flexibility of the Paris climate agreement. Released by the National Security Archive on the agreement’s tenth anniversary, the records include internal US cables and negotiation notes from 2014 and 2015. Together, they show that American officials viewed India as essential to the success of any global climate deal, while also considering it one of the most challenging negotiating partners.
According to the documents, US policymakers believed a credible climate framework could not exist without India’s participation. At the same time, Washington was intent on dismantling the long-standing distinction between developed and developing nations that had guided climate talks since the early 1990s. A US policy paper from early 2014 rejected the idea of separate obligations based on outdated economic classifications, arguing that shifts in emissions and growth patterns made such divisions impractical.
India strongly resisted this approach by working through powerful coalitions such as BASIC, which includes Brazil, South Africa, India, and China, as well as the Like-Minded Developing Countries group. These alliances opposed legally binding emissions reductions and emphasized the need to protect development priorities. US internal communications acknowledged that coordinated resistance from India and China could derail negotiations if binding commitments were forced.
This leverage directly influenced the final design of the Paris Agreement. Instead of a legally enforceable treaty, negotiators adopted a system based on nationally determined contributions. Under this framework, countries define their own climate targets, report progress, and participate in reviews without facing legal penalties. For the United States, this structure avoided legislative hurdles at home. For India, it prevented compulsory emissions caps that could constrain economic expansion.
US cables closely tracked India’s diplomatic moves, particularly the timing and scope of its climate pledge. Officials viewed India’s participation as a signal that major developing economies would join the agreement, provided flexibility was preserved. The documents also show US concerns that India might connect climate talks with trade demands, a strategy Washington explicitly rejected.
Ultimately, the Paris Agreement reflected India’s core objectives. It established global temperature goals and transparency requirements while maintaining national discretion. The declassified record makes clear that the agreement was not imposed on India. Instead, it was the result of sustained negotiation, strategic alliances, and firm resistance that ensured climate cooperation did not come at the expense of growth.
