Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog presents India’s Third Voluntary National Review (VNR) at the UN High-Level Political Forum 2025
Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog presents India’s Third Voluntary National Review (VNR) at the UN High-Level Political Forum 2025
Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog, Shri Suman Bery, on 23 July 2025, presented India’s Third Voluntary National Review (VNR) Report on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the Ministerial Segment of the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on SDGs convened by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations.
He observed that it was an important opportunity to share with the world the combination of economic growth, investment in infrastructure, efficient delivery of targeted schemes, and local commitment that had transformed the Sustainable Development Goals into a national movement in less than a decade.
This VNR marks India’s third submission to the HLPF, reaffirming the country’s sustained commitment to the UN 2030 Agenda for SDGs.
Anchored in a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, the preparation of India’s VNR 2025 was steered by NITI Aayog through a structured and consultative process that drew on the participation of States, Union Territories, civil society, and development partners and private sector. Building on the approach adopted in previous VNRs, a clear national roadmap guided the process, ensuring broad-based engagement while remaining anchored in data and evidence. UNDP has been very supportive in establishing SDG Coordination and Acceleration Centres in the States/UTs for deepening SDG localisation.
India’s VNR 2025 captures a decade of decisive policy action and transformative results across multiple dimensions of sustainable development:
The report highlights India’s leadership in building Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) grounded in the Jan Dhan–Aadhaar–Mobile (JAM) trinity, which has become a global model for inclusive, transparent, and efficient service delivery.
With tools such as the SDG India Index, North-Eastern Region District SDG Index, and the National Multi-dimensional Poverty Index, India continues to strengthen its data-driven governance and localise SDG implementation. Initiatives like the Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) and Aspirational Blocks Programme (ABP) ensure last-mile saturation of government services.
India’s VNR 2025 further highlights its growing contribution to South-South Cooperation, reflecting its role as a trusted development partner through capacity-building and institutional support to fellow developing countries.
Agenda 2030 is aligned with India’s long-term vision of Viksit Bharat @2047 – a developed India by its 100th year of independence – underscoring an integrated development strategy grounded in inclusion, innovation, and institutional strength.