IPCA-TERI charts actionable roadmap for India’s circular economy

New Delhi: India’s transition from a linear waste management model to a resource-efficient circular economy took centre stage at the International Recycling Incubation Summit (IRIS) 2026, which concluded on Friday at the India Habitat Centre.

Organised by the IPCA Centre for Waste Management and Research (ICWMR) at TERI School of Advanced Studies (TERI SAS), the two-day summit brought together over 300 stakeholders from government, industry, academia, research institutions, media, and civil society.

Held under the theme “Integrating sustainable waste supply chain logistics and low-carbon pathways for a circular economy,” IRIS 2026 emerged as a key platform to translate the vision of Swachh Bharat into the broader and more ambitious goal of Circular Bharat.

Deliberations focused on efficient resource use, climate mitigation, and inclusive growth, while emphasising the need to treat waste as a valuable economic resource rather than an end-of-pipe problem.

Addressing the inaugural session as Chief Guest, Tokhan Sahu, Minister of State, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, reiterated the Government of India’s commitment to embedding sustainability in urban development.

He said the Swachh Bharat Mission, launched in 2014, has evolved into a transformative movement and that the circular economy will be central to achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat.

Highlighting the relevance of the summit, he described IRIS 2026 as a critical collaborative platform for government, academia, research institutions and civil society to drive sustainable development outcomes.

In his welcome address, Prof. Arun Kansal, Director, ICWMR, TERI SAS, stressed the importance of cross-sector convergence. He noted that IRIS 2026 was designed to bridge policy, technology and community action, enabling a shift from pilot projects and incubation to large-scale acceleration of circular economy solutions.

Dr Vibha Dhawan, Chancellor, TERI SAS, underlined the role of higher education institutions in enabling the circular transition.

She said universities must work closely with industry and local communities to deliver practical and scalable solutions, particularly in optimising waste logistics to improve resource recovery and lower carbon footprints.

Providing an international perspective, Mr C.R. Mohanty of the United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD) linked India’s circular economy efforts with the Sustainable Development Goals.

He observed that India’s scale, policy innovation and on-ground experimentation offer valuable lessons for the Global South, and stressed that integrating low-carbon pathways into waste management systems is essential for both climate action and economic resilience.

Setting the thematic direction of the summit, Mr Ashish Jain, Founder Director, IPCA, said the future of sustainability lies in recognising waste as a strategic resource.

“In a circular economy, sustainability is not a cost but a competitive advantage,” he said, calling for a holistic approach to “Waste to Wealth & Health” he added.

Prof. Suman Dhar, Vice Chancellor, TERI SAS, highlighted the role of youth and academia in leading the transition. He noted that TERI SAS students are actively engaged in designing real-world sustainability solutions by combining technical knowledge with systems thinking.

The summit featured an Industry Leaders Meet on stewardship beyond regulatory compliance, high-level policy dialogues under The Circular Confluence, technical sessions on advanced recycling technologies and circular supply chain design, and discussions on waste logistics optimisation and enabling policy frameworks.

Media panels and grassroots impact stories highlighted on-ground challenges and innovations, while the concluding Collective Wisdom Panel and Valedictory Session synthesised key outcomes and recognised research excellence.

IRIS 2026 concluded with a shared commitment to strengthen multi-stakeholder partnerships, advance evidence-based policy recommendations, and scale innovative solutions to support India’s circular economy ambitions and its pathway towards net-zero emissions.