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India’s use of carbon taxes to promote clean energy has gone too far and there is a case for easing them to let energy-intensive industries compete globally, federal policy think tank NITI Aayog said in a new report. The observation that steps to discourage use of coal and promote solar and wind power have actually penalized downstream industry by way of high energy costs, comes at a time India is taking a global lead in climate change policies, while the US has turned its attention to easing of overly burdensome environmental protection rules. NITI Aayog’s call to rationalize carbon taxes also echoes chief economic advisor Mr Arvind Subramanian’s warning in August 2017 that India cannot allow the narrative of “carbon imperialism” to come in the way of realistic and rational planning for the country’s energy future.