India's environment minister reiterated on Tuesday that New Delhi would not bow to international pressure to accept legally binding carbon emission cuts.
Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said in a statement that a leaked letter from him which appeared in Indian newspapers on Monday "suggested the possibility of some flexibility in India's stance."
He said the media reports had only partially quoted the letter, "thereby completely distorting and twisting its meaning", and that India would not budge from its refusal to accept targeted emission reductions.
"India will never accept internationally legally binding emission reduction targets or commitments as part of any agreement or deal or outcome," Ramesh said.
The leaked communique, as quoted by the Times of India, spoke of New Delhi softening its stand because its tough line "takes away from India's aspirations for permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council."
Any shift in India's stance would be seen as part of a diplomatic push to tone down the country's image as a stubborn deal breaker in the run up to the crucial December 7-18 summit in Copenhagen, under the 192-nation UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The negotiations are meant to work out a successor to the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.
India has been a stalwart member of the G77 of developing nations which want rich countries to provide them with finance and technology to help reduce harmful emissions that cause climate change.
"Internationally legally binding emission reduction targets are for developed countries and developed countries alone," Ramesh said.
Extracts from Ramesh's letter which appeared in the newspapers had drawn accusations from the opposition Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party that India was selling out to developed nations in the climate change talks.
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