Indian authorities have raided the home of climate activist Harjeet Singh, accusing him of receiving foreign funds to promote a fossil fuel treaty that officials claim threatens the country’s national interest.
Harjeet Singh has worked in climate advocacy for over 25 years. He currently serves as Global Engagement Director at the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative and previously held leadership roles at Climate Action Network International and ActionAid. He co-founded Satat Sampada, a social enterprise focused on organic farming and sustainable environmental practices.
Singh is a familiar presence at United Nations climate negotiations. He has spent more than two decades representing the Global South, urging wealthy nations to provide more support for developing countries transitioning to clean energy. He also serves on the boards of Climate Action Network International and the Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction.
What are the allegations?
The Enforcement Directorate searched Singh’s Delhi residence and offices of Satat Sampada Private Limited on Monday. The financial crimes agency alleges Singh and his wife Jyoti Awasthi received nearly £500,000 from international climate organizations to advocate for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty within India.
“The funds were actually intended to promote the agenda of the fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty within India,” the ED stated. The agency claims the money came through organizations including Climate Action Network and STAND.EARTH, which received funding from groups like Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.
The ED alleges Satat Sampada operates as a front organization. Officials claim the company presents itself as an organic farming business while primarily channeling foreign funds for treaty advocacy. The agency said the company ran at a loss until 2021, when payments registered as consultancy services changed its financial position.
Why is government concerned?
The ED claims the treaty “could expose India to legal challenges in international forums like the international court of justice and severely compromise the nation’s energy security and economic development.”
An unnamed ED officer told the Hindustan Times that intelligence from COP30 climate talks in Brazil last November triggered the investigation. The officer said authorities are examining other activists “whose climate campaigns may be inimical to India’s energy security.”
The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty calls for ending new fossil fuel exploration and phasing out existing production. Seventeen national governments support the initiative, along with the World Health Organization and European Parliament. Vanuatu and Tuvalu were the first nations to endorse it.
How has Singh responded?
Singh and Awasthi denied the allegations in a statement. “We categorically state that the allegations being reported are baseless, biased and misleading,” they said. Legal restrictions prevent them from sharing case details.
The activist told Newslaundry he has consistently praised India’s renewable energy progress. “I have been on record saying that India’s renewable energy journey is exceptional and India should be applauded for the efforts it has made with very little international finance,” Singh said.
He rejected claims of influencing government policy. “I have never worked with the government,” Singh told the outlet. He described the ED’s action as a misunderstanding of civil society’s climate position.
Singh disputes the characterization of the treaty as harmful to India. “It is just a process where we are saying that developed countries have to do more and there should be a global treaty complementing the Paris Agreement to help developing countries make that transition,” he said.
Singh and Awasthi said they founded Satat Sampada in 2016 using personal savings and home-secured loans. They stated Singh’s consultancy work expanded in 2021 after he left full-time employment to focus on the organization.
“His work and contributions are well documented across print, digital, television and social media, as well as public platforms,” their statement said.
When did this happen?
The raids took place on Monday. Singh was arrested Monday night after officers reported finding alcohol above legal limits at his home. Police granted him bail hours later.
The ED said it is also investigating Singh’s trips to Pakistan in February 2025 and Bangladesh in December 2024. In Pakistan, Singh attended a conference on air pollution. In Bangladesh, he delivered a speech at a university on climate justice.
Singh said his Bangladesh visit may have prompted the ED action. He provided the agency with statements from conferences he attended in both countries. “Whenever I go out, I act as an ambassador of India, as a good citizen of India, saying how the country is doing well,” he said.
What is the broader context?
Civil society groups in India have faced mounting pressure under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. Nearly 17,000 licenses for receiving foreign funding have been suspended, forcing many organizations to close.
Singh has also recently criticized a Supreme Court judgment that accepted a 100-metre definition for the Aravallis mountain range and has called for stronger measures to tackle air pollution. “There are areas where we need to improve, and every citizen is talking about it,” he said.
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