India’s Sustainable Ascent: Integrating Economic Growth with SDGs for Global Leadership

This article examines the imperative of harmonizing India's rapid economic expansion with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The research objectives include analyzing the alignment between economic growth and SDGs, identifying challenges and opportunities in achieving sustainability, evaluating policy effectiveness, and proposing a roadmap for accelerated SDG achievement and global leadership. Employing a qualitative, descriptive, and analytical research design, the study relies on secondary data from academic literature, government reports, and NITI Aayog's SDG India Index. Major findings reveal India's strong institutional commitment to SDGs, evidenced by progress in poverty reduction and renewable energy. However, challenges persist from historical environmentally impactful growth, data reliability issues, and social disparities. Opportunities lie in green finance and decentralized governance. The paper concludes by proposing a roadmap for enhanced policy coherence, strengthened data ecosystems, diversified financial mobilization, inclusive growth strategies, and proactive global leadership to cement India's role in a sustainable future.