India, Nov. 19 -- China has one of the biggest and prominent pavilions at the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Brazil's Belem. Delegates, visitors, and businesspeople have been thronging the pavilion, often taking selfies and networking with Chinese businesses.

Optics aside, China has been leading the Global South at the climate talks. It has backed developing countries on the most contentious issue at COP30-Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement. The provision mandates developed nations to finance developing countries for their climate change mitigation and adaptation.

India, as part of the Like-Minded Developing Countries (LMDCs) and China (G77+China), has been moving in lockstep on all major positions-treating Art...