When we think of sustainability, we picture solar panels, electric vehicles and tree plantations. Rarely do we think of the food on our plate. Yet the way we produce animal proteins — milk, meat, fish, or eggs — may be one of the most decisive factors shaping India’s climate resilience, public health, and global competitiveness. The country is at a “protein crossroads”. Rising incomes and urbanization are shifting dietary protein choices from pulses to animal sources. At the same time, agriculture already contributes around 14% of India’s greenhouse gas emissions, with livestock responsible for more than half. Add to this the widespread use of antibiotics in animal farming, increasing animal-welfare scrutiny, and trade rules that increasingly demand traceability, and we have a recipe for systemic risk.
The stakes are not abstract. By 2030, declining crop yields and reduced protein content in staples could leave nearly 91 million Indians at risk of hunger. Unless we act, our protein system could undermine both nutrition security and our net-zero ambitions.
To put the long-term challenge in perspective, India’s livestock emissions are projected to reach 515 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent annually by 2050 — more than twice the levels in the 1960s. Left unchecked, this would strain our climate commitments, nutrition security, and trade competitiveness.
India has been a global pioneer in sustainability. Yet, Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks today largely overlook protein’s role in our food system. There are no consistent corporate disclosures on animal welfare, antibiotic use, water use, or the share of smart proteins — plant-based, cultivated, and fermentation-derived alternatives — in corporate portfolios.
This omission matters. Investors are beginning to see unsustainable protein systems as financial liabilities. Indian companies risk being left behind as global capital flows pivot towards climate-aligned and ethical supply chains. Integrating protein-related metrics into ESG reporting is not just about ethics; it is about competitiveness, trade access, and risk management.
There is significant momentum being built. By 2025, over 60% of Indian agribusinesses are expected to adopt ESG standards, driven by regulation and by growing demand for ESG-certified products at home and abroad. The opportunity now is to strengthen these disclosures by explicitly including protein-related indicators.
At the same time, international frameworks such as those of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) already treat animal welfare and smart proteins as material ESG themes. For India, aligning with these benchmarks is about future-proofing our businesses, ensuring they remain credible to investors and competitive in global markets.
The good news is that India has a once-in-a-generation chance to lead the global smart protein revolution. Smart proteins account for a fraction of the land- and water-use and emissions tied to conventional livestock-based protein production. They also align with India’s long cultural familiarity with plant-based diets.
By investing in smart protein R&D, incentivizing companies to diversify their portfolios, and embedding clear disclosure requirements into ESG frameworks, India can simultaneously address its chronic protein deficiency, future-proof its food businesses against global trade and investor scrutiny, and create new industries, jobs, and export potential. Just as we leapfrogged in digital payments, we can leapfrog in sustainable proteins.
India is already laying the foundations. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has started setting scientific standards for plant-based and cultivated proteins. The government’s BioE3 Policy is building an ecosystem for manufacturing these proteins through biofoundries and AI-enabled research hubs. Together, these initiatives show that the pieces are in place. What’s needed now is to connect them to ESG frameworks that give companies clear goals and accountability.
Besides innovation, we cannot ignore welfare. Poor welfare practices are not only an ethical blind spot but also a reputational and safety risk. Global frameworks already include animal welfare, and India’s disclosures must catch up. Clear targets and humane practices would send a strong signal of India’s seriousness about trust, dignity, and long-term resilience.
Other issues in protein supply chains, such as water use, circularity, and antibiotic stewardship, are becoming equally important in ESG systems. Around the world, blockchain and other verification tools are being piloted to ensure humane and sustainable practices. India’s value chains are still at an early stage in this journey, but integrating such systems over time will strengthen consumer trust and market access.
A pragmatic path forward will not burden companies with unrealistic mandates. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi)’s sector-specific business responsibility and sustainability reporting (BRSR) guidelines can begin with voluntary disclosures, drawing on existing blueprints such as the NSE–SES BRSR Food Guide. Companies must set strategic targets, reallocate R&D capital, and disclose risks and strategies; and investors must align mandates with global frameworks and proactively engage with food companies. Besides, banks must innovate with respect to financial instruments: green bonds, transition finance, and preferred lending for sustainable protein projects.
The financial ecosystem is already tilting this way. Sustainability-linked finance is accelerating in India. Benchmarks increasingly include emissions reduction, humane practices, and traceability. Without integrating proteins and welfare, Indian businesses risk losing both affordable capital and premium global markets.
The market regulator’s leadership will be critical. Sebi’s frequent updates are already aligning India’s ESG ecosystem with international regimes such as the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive. Incorporating protein themes into the next phase of BRSR guidelines would ensure India is not just responding to global shifts but setting the pace for other emerging economies. If we act now, India can turn a looming protein crisis into a leadership opportunity, one where our plates become as much a symbol of sustainability as our solar parks and fintech apps.
Ravi Venkatesan is the former chairman of Microsoft India and Cummins India, a member of the Infosys board and an advisor to the India Karuna Collaborative, and Rituj Sahu leads work on sustainable food systems at Asia Research & Engagement. The views expressed are personal
