<h1>Sustainable Development Goals progress prompts strengthened environmental regulations, plastic phase-out measures and expanded air quality programmes.</h1> India's SDG performance improved with more states and districts classified as front runners, underpinned by environmental policy actions: increased forest cover, rules to phase out single use plastic and draft extended producer responsibility for packaging, groundwater and reservoir management, improved compliance by grossly polluting industries in the Ganga basin, implementation of the National Clean Air Programme across designated cities, and reaffirmed climate commitments with emphasis on mindful resource use and sustainable finance initiatives.