India arrests prominent climate activist for campaigning against fossil fuels

Indian authorities raided a prominent climate activist’s home and office, accusing him of using foreign funding to campaign against fossil fuels in ways that could undermine the country’s energy security.

Investigators searched properties linked to Harjeet Singh, a long-time climate campaigner, and his wife Jyoti Awasthi earlier this week. The couple are co-founders of Satat Sampada, an organisation that works on climate action, sustainable development, and organic farming.

In a statement, the the Enforcement Directorate – a financial crimes agency – said it was investigating ”suspicious” international payments received by Satat Sampada. It alleged a number of consultancy payments were intended to promote the agenda of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative in India.

The initiative is an international campaign calling for a binding agreement to stop the expansion of new coal, oil and gas projects and to manage a gradual phaseout of fossil fuels. It is backed by several nations, including small island states, as well as the World Health Organisation and the European parliament.

“While presented as a climate initiative, its adoption could expose India to legal challenges in international forums such as the International Court of Justice and severely compromise the nation’s energy security and economic development,” the agency said.

India remains heavily dependent on coal, which still supplies around 70 per cent of its electricity, even as it is rapidly expanding its renewable energy capacity. The government says it has no choice but to keep using coal as part of its energy mix to fulfil the needs of its growing economy.

Mr Singh, who has worked for over two decades with international climate groups and been a familiar presence at UN climate summits, makes no secret of his work for the initiative and is listed publicly as a strategic adviser.

At the Cop30 climate talks in Brazil last year, Mr Singh praised India’s renewable energy expansion while urging wealthy nations to cut emissions faster and provide more climate finance to developing countries.

According to the federal agency, Satat Sampada has received over £570,000 from international climate organisations since 2021. The agency alleged the money was misdeclared as income from consultancy services and agro-product sales, and said it was examining whether the funds breached India’s foreign exchange laws.

During the searches, officials said they found liquor bottles above permitted limits at Mr Singh’s residence in Ghaziabad near Delhi. Ghaziabad is located in the state of Uttar Pradesh, which has particularly strict rules about the amount of alcohol that can be stored in homes without a licence – just 1.5 litres of liquor and no more than 2 litres of wine.

He was subsequently arrested by state excise authorities and later granted bail. The federal agency said its investigation into the funding allegations is ongoing.

Mr Singh strongly denied the accusations. “I’m utterly surprised and deeply disturbed by the Enforcement Directorate’s claim that my association with the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative is detrimental to India’s energy security. Nothing could be further from the truth,” he said in a statement.

“My advocacy has always been rooted in strengthening India’s energy independence through clean, affordable and sustainable solutions. Portraying this work as harmful to India’s energy security is not only misleading, but a serious misrepresentation.”

Tzeporah Berman, founder and chair of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty initiative, said the proposed treaty was designed to support developing countries “through international cooperation, economic diversification, access to finance, and technology transfer”, adding that they did not “seek to pressure any developing country to join”.

India is yet to submit its updated national climate plan to the UN even though it was due last year, amid broader debates over how developing countries balance climate action with energy access and economic growth.

Satat Sampada said it was founded in 2016 using the couple’s personal savings and loans and its consultancy work expanded after Mr Singh left full-time employment in 2021 to focus on the organisation. The group said that it had cooperated fully with investigators and would continue to do so.

The Hindustan Times reported, citing unnamed officials, that the investigation against Mr Singh was prompted by intelligence received during Cop30 and that other climate activists whose work was seen as “inimical” to India’s energy security could be probed as well. The agency has not publicly confirmed any wider crackdown.

Mr Singh and Ms Awasthi said they had faith in due process and urged media outlets to “report responsibly and avoid speculation”.

Civil society groups in India have faced increasing scrutiny in recent years, particularly over foreign funding. Nearly 17,000 organisations have lost their licences to receive overseas donations since the Narendra Modi government took power over a decade ago, forcing many to shut down.