Development Alternatives Group, in collaboration with its partners, convened the Alt Urban Global Summit 2025 at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi. The summit brought together voices from government, civil society, academia, and industry to discuss practical approaches for inclusive and climate-resilient urban development.
Under its flagship programme, Alt Urban, Development Alternatives aims to enable one million green homes by 2030. The event provided a platform for sharing replicable models, policy insights, and grounded innovations in the urban built environment.
The day began with the Leaders’ Forum for Urban Transformation, featuring speakers including Shailesh Agarwal from BMTPC, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs; Bhaskar Natrajan from AEEE; Sanjay Seth from TERI and GRIHA Council; Priyanka Kochhar from The Habitat Emprise; Balasubramanian Iyer from the International Cooperative Alliance, Asia-Pacific; and Soumen Maity from TARA. The session was moderated by Rajiv Tikoo from Sustainability Karma.
Discussions covered key issues such as affordable green housing, decarbonisation in the construction sector, and enabling policies for low-carbon and circular urban systems.
The Alt Urban Sustainable Housing Challenge, a national design competition focused on sustainable housing solutions, was also launched during the event.
The summit featured a screening of a short film on the journey of the Challenge, followed by the announcement of winners and the release of the publication titled Journey of the Alt Urban Housing Challenge. Eco Dwell Design Lab was declared the winner of the Challenge.
Shombi Sharp, UN Resident Coordinator in India, addressed the gathering and said, “In line with the 2030 Agenda and the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, India is advancing inclusive, climate-resilient housing at scale and pace. The UN in India is proud to be partnering with the Government, civil society, private sector and other stakeholders to foster inclusive, resilient and greener urban futures.”
Shrashtant Patara, CEO of Development Alternatives, added, “India’s urban transition is a historic opportunity to build cities that are inclusive, resilient, and regenerative—not just for some, but for all. Through the Alt Urban campaign and Trialogue 2047, Development Alternatives and its partners are proud to convene change makers at the Alt Urban Global Summit to co-create pathways for cities that work for both people and the planet. The future of urban India must be locally driven, globally connected, and fundamentally just.”
The 28th edition of Trialogue 2047, held during the summit and titled “Shaping Green Urban Futures,” focused on long-term strategies for urban transformation in India. The session featured keynote remarks from Mr Shombi Sharp, followed by a discussion with Shikha Shrivastava from Tata Trusts, Sarath Babu MG from NIUA, and Umit Bhatia from Sustainability Strategy, Asia-Pacific, JLL. The session was moderated by Shrashtant Patara. The publication Shaping Green Urban Futures was launched during the event, offering strategic frameworks for inclusive and circular urban development.
The summit concluded with reflections on the role of collaborative governance, people-centred design, and climate innovation in shaping India’s urban future. The event aligns with the country’s long-term vision under Viksit Bharat @2047. The Alt Urban Global Summit was supported by organisations including Dhun Life, Socrates, BMTPC, GRIHA Council, SPARC, IFC, Climate Rise Alliance, Build Ahead, UofT India Foundation, International Cooperative Alliance – Asia-Pacific, and The CSR Universe.
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