Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) today is facing pressure not only to include sustainability in their teaching and research but also in the way they govern, manage their campuses, and engage with local communities. Accreditation, which was used for quality assurance (QA) purposes, is now seen to help HEIs systematically integrate sustainable development into their systems and document sustainability practices. Based on 122 references, this paper explores the potential of international accreditation bodies (AACSB, ACBSP, IACBE, AMBA, EFMD/EQUIS, and SAQS) and Indian accreditation agencies (NAAC and NBA) in advancing the goals of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and promoting Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Key themes include (i) accreditation criteria and external QA, (ii) governance and reform challenges in India, (iii) sustainability/ESD integration, and (iv) comparability across frameworks. The review identifies five gaps operationalization of indicators, effect-pathway clarity, data preparedness, harmonization, and equity, and proposes a PhD framework to develop an auditable, SDG aligned Sustainable Development Framework through Accreditation for Indian HEIs...