<p>Sustainable development has been widely recognized as the key to addressing environmental and economic crises, making its integration into education essential. Embedding sustainability across all levels of learning, from primary to higher education and research, can help make it a fundamental part of everyday life. In India, this integration is at a turning point, with new policies and reforms reshaping traditional teaching methods. The implementation of the National Education Policy, the launch of the National Skill Development Mission, and the introduction of 21st-century skills by the Central Board of Secondary Education are significant steps toward sustainability-focused education. This study evaluates these three policies, analyzing their impact on the education system and their role in promoting sustainability.</p><p>The current research paper adopts an SDG 4.7–aligned evaluative framework to critically analyze how sustainability is integrated within India’s higher education policies. By situating the analysis within global theoretical frameworks, sustainability skills, and international case studies, the research highlights both the promise and the limitations of current policy trajectories. It underscores the imperative for higher education to move beyond incremental reforms and embrace holistic transformations that integrate knowledge, competencies, values, governance, and monitoring. The findings aim to contribute to scholarly debates on education for sustainable development while offering a practice-oriented roadmap for policymakers, educators, and institutions. Ultimately, the analysis reflects the understanding that achieving SDG 4.7 is not merely about ticking policy boxes but about fostering transformative education systems capable of preparing learners to navigate and shape sustainable futures.</p>