Short answer: To get carbon credits in India, run a project that measurably cuts or removes greenhouse gases and register it under an approved methodology. That means either India's offset mechanism, run by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, or an international standard such as Verra or Gold Standard. An accredited body then validates and verifies the results, and credits are issued for each verified tonne of CO₂-equivalent. Tree planting qualifies under two approved forestry methods in India.
Last reviewed: October 2026. Rules are still being rolled out; check the official sources before you start.
Who can get carbon credits in India
- Industrial plants with CCTS targets (nine sectors, such as cement, steel and aluminium) earn Carbon Credit Certificates by beating their emission-intensity target.
- Project developers and companies without targets can earn credits through India's offset mechanism or the voluntary market by running eligible projects.
- Individuals generally can't register projects alone, but can take part through a developer, for example by providing land under an agreement.
Step by step: how to get carbon credits
- Choose the route. India's offset mechanism issues Carbon Credit Certificates (CCCs) in the Grid-India registry. International standards (Verra VCS, Gold Standard) issue credits in their own registries for the voluntary market.
- Choose an approved methodology. The method sets the rules for the baseline, what counts and how it is measured. India's approved methods include renewable energy, energy efficiency, landfill gas, biogas, rice cultivation and two forestry methods (listed below).
- Check eligibility. Land rights or ownership, project start date, additionality (the reductions wouldn't happen without carbon finance) and no double counting.
- Write the project design document. It describes the baseline, the activity, the expected reductions or removals, and the monitoring plan.
- Get it validated. An accredited validation and verification body reviews the design.
- Register the project. On the Indian Carbon Market portal (for CCCs) or with the international standard.
- Implement and monitor. Run the project and collect data as the methodology requires.
- Get results verified. The verifier checks the monitoring report.
- Receive credits. One credit is issued for each verified tonne of CO₂-equivalent, into your registry account.
- Sell or retire them. See how carbon credit trading works in India.
Can tree planting earn carbon credits in India?
Yes. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency has approved two forestry methodologies for India's offset mechanism:
- BM FR05.001: afforestation and reforestation of degraded mangrove habitats
- BM FR05.002: afforestation and reforestation of lands except wetlands
Forestry projects are slower than most: credits come only as trees grow and survive, and every claim is measured and verified over many years. What makes a plantation project workable:
- legally clear land with a baseline that can be proved (for example, degraded land)
- species suited to the site, and care through the early years so trees survive
- tree-level data: location, photos and survival records, kept for the whole project period
How long it takes
Design, validation and registration often take several months to over a year. Energy projects can earn credits soon after they start. Tree projects earn slowly and over many years, because carbon is counted only as the trees grow.
Common mistakes
- Assuming that planting trees automatically creates credits. Only registered, verified removals do.
- Starting a project before checking methodology rules on start dates and eligibility.
- Weak records. Missing data at verification means lost credits.
- Selling the same reduction twice, for example claiming it for CSR, for a credit and in another company's report.
How Grow Billion Trees can help
Grow Billion Trees runs plantation programmes for companies in 14 states, with 85% of trees surviving across our programmes and every tree tracked on GreenTrack. Most of our programmes are CSR projects. If you are exploring a carbon project, we can help you judge whether a plantation site and design could suit an approved method, and keep the tree-level records verification needs. See carbon credits or talk to our team.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to get carbon credits in India?
Costs depend on the project type and size: design, validation, registration, monitoring and verification fees, plus the project itself. Small projects are often grouped together to share these costs.
What is the difference between a CCC and a voluntary carbon credit?
A Carbon Credit Certificate (CCC) is issued under India's scheme and traded on Indian power exchanges. Voluntary credits are issued by international standards such as Verra and Gold Standard and are mostly sold directly to companies.
Can a company get carbon credits for its CSR plantation?
Not automatically. A CSR plantation earns credits only if it is registered under an approved methodology and verified, and the same carbon can't also be claimed elsewhere. Many companies fund plantations through CSR purely for their environmental and social impact.
