Global Symposium on Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy

• • Welcome Address – Mr. Manish Sharma, Chair, RECEIC Steering Committee & Chairman, Panasonic Life Solutions India and South Asia
  • Industry Perspective – Mr. Ch Srinivas, Chair, RECEIC working group on Used oil & Executive Director- Lubes, HPCL
  • Keynote address – Shri. Ved Prakash Mishra, Joint Secretary, MoEF&CC

Session brief:

Brief presentation on knowledge paper ‘Unlocking Circularity in the Used Oil Sector: Overcoming Challenges and Seizing Opportunities’ by Mr. Ayush Rungta, Director, Monitor Deloitte.

Speaker

Mr. Ayush Rungta

Director, Monitor Deloitte

Session Brief:

The circularity of used oil is a vital yet often overlooked aspect of the shift toward a sustainable, resource-efficient economy. This session will delve into the challenges and opportunities within the used oil sector, emphasizing role of circular economy through recycling, re-refining, and reuse practices.

Panellists will deliberate on value chain challenges viz. collection, contamination, infrastructure gaps, and regulatory barriers and will discuss solutions to improve recovery rates, technological innovations, and collaborative actions to optimize the value chain. By showcasing industry innovations and case studies, we will outline a roadmap to scale circularity in the sector, reduce waste, conserve resources, and contribute to a net-zero, sustainable economy.

Session Brief:

The transition to a circular economy requires a transformative approach to financing that drives innovation, scales sustainable solutions, and optimizes resource use and build regenerative value chains. This session will focus on how financial institutions and businesses can collaborate to accelerate the shift to circular value chains.

Discussions will spotlight innovative financial models, the role of private and public investments, and strategic partnerships that enable scaling circular practices. Experts will share insights into how businesses can access funding mechanisms, how investors can align portfolios with circular economy principles, and the importance of policy frameworks in fostering investment.

The session aims to provide actionable strategies for creating a financial ecosystem that supports resource-efficient, circular business models and accelerates the transition to a sustainable future.

Moderator

Ms. Mridula Ramesh

Founder, Sundaram Climate Institute & Executive Director, Sundaram Textiles Ltd.

Speakers

Ms. Janavi Papriwal

Associate Partner, Circulate Capital

Mr. R K Singh

CGM Green & International Cooperation, SIDBI

Session Brief:

As the world shifts towards a sustainable, circular economy, the importance of critical minerals has grown, especially for the transition to renewable energy, electric vehicles, and green technologies. However, the extraction and processing of these minerals pose significant environmental and economic challenges. This makes it crucial to explore circular economy models that minimize waste, reduce reliance on primary resources, and encourage recycling and reuse.

In January 2025, India’s Ministry of Mines launched the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM), which includes several initiatives, such as the creation of a Recycling Advisory Group. This group will assess the presence of critical minerals in both domestic and imported products and recommend strategies for optimizing the recovery of these minerals. Additionally, NCMM will allocate funds for global research and development collaborations along the critical minerals value chain.

During this session, panelists will share innovative approaches and technologies that support the efficient recovery and recycling of critical materials like rare earth elements in electronics, and lithium and cobalt in batteries. The discussion will focus on how circular economy principles—such as material recovery and product lifecycle management—can be applied to critical minerals to promote long-term sustainability and reduce environmental impact.

The session will also explore opportunities for collaboration between industries, governments, and research organizations to accelerate the transition to a circular economy in critical mineral resource management.

Moderator

Mr. Souvik Bhattacharjya

Associate Director and Sr. Fellow – TERI

Session Brief:

Plastic pollution is a global crisis, prompting the UNEA to initiate a legally binding treaty addressing plastics across their lifecycle—production, consumption, and disposal. While negotiations have progressed since 2022, key challenges remain, including production caps, funding, and hazardous chemical phaseouts.

For industries, this treaty signals a shift towards EPR, sustainable design, and circular economy models, presenting both compliance challenges and opportunities for leadership in sustainability.

This session will explore how businesses can align with treaty objectives through innovation, policy engagement, and strategic collaborations. Discussions will focus on challenges, opportunities, and actionable pathways for industries to transition towards sustainable plastics management.

The key objective of the session is to develop understanding of the treaty’s impact on industries and circularity, examine policy, financing, and capacity-building challenges, highlight innovations and partnerships driving sustainability & develop industry roadmaps for aligning with treaty goals.

Moderator

Mr. Ashish Chaturvedi

Head of the Environment, Energy, and Resilience, UNDP India

Speakers

Mr. Varun Boralkar

VP-Strategic Business Group, Blue Planet Environmental Solutions (India) Pvt. Ltd

Mr. Soren N.

Regional Director South Asia and Head of the Trade Council, Embassy of Denmark In India

Dr. Patrick Schroeder

Senior Research Fellow, Environment & Society Centre, Chatham House

Mr. Ajeya Bandopadhyay

Asia Climate (Advisory) Lead, International Finance Corporation (IFC)

Session Brief:

This session will showcase inspiring stories of innovation and impact from the winners of the Awards. Award-winning organizations and innovators will present their case studies, highlighting pioneering projects, scalable solutions, and transformative business models that exemplify circular economy principles.

Session Brief:

The transition to a Resource-Efficient and Circular Economy requires collaborative action between policymakers & the industry. This Valedictory Session will bring together key stakeholders to reflect on the symposium’s discussions and outline the path forward.

This session will serve as a call to action, reinforcing the need for industry-led innovation, policy alignment, and collaborative efforts to scale circular economy solutions. It will highlight the Ministry’s vision for fostering resource efficiency, the progress made by RECEIC’s working groups, and the importance of industry-policy synergy in driving systemic change.