CII delegation to INC-5 on Global Plastics Treaty developments

On 12th February 2025, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) hosted a webinar titled Global Plastics Treaty: INC-5 and the road ahead, which highlighted India’s strategic position in the plastic treaty negotiations, emphasising the need for a balanced approach that protects industry while promoting sustainable practices. 

The webinar had two key speakers—Swaroop KVR, head-waste management, sustainability and EPR, Srichakra Polyplast and Bipin Odhekar, head – sustainability, EHS and operations excellence, Marico—both of whom were part of the CII delegation at Busan where the fifth and the final round of negotiations took place for the Global Plastics Treaty.

CII participated as an observer, with Indian industry representatives engaging in discussions and side events. The goal was to showcase India’s efforts in plastic management and highlight regional challenges.

The webinar was hosted by Nandini Kumar, senior consultant, CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development, and moderated by centre counsellors Omkar Gaonkar, and Shourjomay Chattopadhyay (part of the CII delegation to Busan). It covered key updates from INC-5, including the progress on the Global Plastic Treaty negotiations. 

How the treaty came to be 
Chattopadhyay introduced the Global Plastic Treaty and gave a timeline of the negotations. He stated that plastic pollution has been a focus of global discussions since 2014, with multiple UN resolutions addressing the issue. The Intergovernmental Negotiation Committee (INC) was formed in 2022 to develop an international legally binding treaty by 2024, with five rounds of negotiations completed.

What’s the INC-5?
INC-5 in Busan involved 193 UN member states and observers, including NGOs and industry representatives. Discussions centered on key treaty elements such as plastic production, waste management, and financial mechanisms. While progress was made, consensus on critical issues remains unresolved, leading to plans for an additional round of negotiations (INC-5.2) in 2025.

A revised draft was released on December 1, summarising negotiation outcomes. Major areas requiring further deliberation include financial mechanisms, supply regulation, and implementation strategies. The Indian delegation emphasised protecting national industry while supporting responsible plastic management at a feasible pace. 

The discussion in the webinar
Both Swaroop and Odhekar noted the complexity of global negotiations and the need for a strategic approach to aligning business interests with environmental goals.

Also part of the discussion was the discussion on technology transfer for recycling initiatives. Odhekar stated that there are two approaches—Direct technology transfer from other countries, and developing indigenous solutions through research and collaboration. India’s regulatory environment may slow external technology adoption unless a strong business case exists. 

Swaroop was of the opinion that bringing in foreign technologies creates an "outward-looking perspective" and a "dependency" of sorts and would "be a blocker for the end of capacity enhancement and also our kind of economic involvement in the country." He brought focus to the proposal by the Indian government in one part of the resolution which pushes for creating a financing mechanism for bringing the technology into India. He added, "I think that's what really we looked at which helps the Indian ecosystem to build better technologies in place and seek approvals for that kind."

Odhekar added to the discussion stating, "Even though you have very good technology or machines that are coming in a lot of things are dependent on the infeed stock. It is my personal observation that the consistency of the infeed stocks is still a big challenge for us. The focus on both is equally important as they go hand-in-hand. We should also be in a position to utilise the technology."

As seen with India’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations, any new treaty will challenge “business as usual.” However, greater emphasis on responsible design and use of recycled materials is anticipated, potentially benefiting India’s recycling sector. Odhekar also pushed for industry-led initiatives saying while regulations drive compliance, industry-led initiatives can accelerate change by integrating sustainability into core business models. Both speakers urged collaboration among value-chain partners to foster innovation, and knowledge-sharing, and proactive industry goals, such as increasing recycled content in packaging. For instance, Indian companies pioneering recycled plastic usage ahead of EPR regulations have insights to share on processing and quality consistency. They also recognised India's proactive role in addressing plastic waste, comparing favorably with other nations.

The speakers added that the segregated waste streams for recycling would also be more formalised with the mandates coming in across the world. The global treaty, according to the Swaroop, would make Indian Industry more visible to the world in terms of technology adaptation and waste streams, and give it a level-playing field in the market. 

Regarding chemical recycling, the treaty does not specify recycling methods but provides a broad framework, leaving implementation details to individual nations. Chemical recycling remains a topic of debate, with varying perspectives on its feasibility and sustainability. 

The webinar concluded with the speakers agreeing that continued engagement, investment in recycling infrastructure, and voluntary industry commitments will be key to aligning with global standards while maintaining economic growth.