Abstract

Environmental policy reforms in India between 2018 and 2025 became critical to the nation’s development discourse. Increasing industrialization rapid urbanization and ecological crises such as climate change floods and deforestation created urgent pressures for reform. The government introduced several policies during this period including renewable energy initiatives single-use plastic bans afforestation drives and stricter environmental impact assessments. While these reforms provided structural frameworks their success largely depended on community participation. Grassroots activism local governance and citizens’ initiatives in waste management water harvesting and biodiversity conservation emerged as vital elements of sustainable development. This paper examines how national policies and community actions intersected analyzing their successes limitations and implications for the future. It argues that environmental policy in India must evolve as a collaborative process integrating