ESG (ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, GOVERNANCE) COMPLIANCE AND COPORATE GOVERNANCE IN INDIA

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) compliance has emerged as a significant aspect of modern corporate governance. Investors, regulators, and stakeholders increasingly expect companies to operate sustainably while maintaining transparency and accountability. In India, ESG regulation has gained momentum through the introduction of the Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) framework by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). The objective of this paper is to examine the relationship between ESG compliance and corporate governance in India, analyse the existing legal and regulatory framework, identify challenges in implementation, and propose reforms to strengthen sustainability governance. The paper concludes that while India has made substantial progress through mandatory ESG disclosures and enhanced governance requirements, challenges relating to enforcement, standardisation, data reliability, and greenwashing continue to impede effective ESG implementation.