The Eighth Session of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Assembly will take place from October 27 to 30, 2025, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, uniting global leaders and stakeholders under the theme “One Sun, One World, One Grid.”
Launched jointly by India and France during COP21 in Paris, the ISA is the largest treaty-based intergovernmental organization from the Global South, with 124 Member and Signatory Countries. The upcoming Assembly will play a pivotal role in shaping global priorities for scaling solar energy, mobilising finance, and developing technology and policy frameworks ahead of COP30 in Brazil.
At the curtain-raiser event, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy and ISA Assembly President, Shri Pralhad Joshi, highlighted India’s rapid progress in renewable energy. He stated that India had achieved its renewable energy targets five years ahead of schedule, with over 50% of its total installed electricity capacity now coming from non-fossil fuel sources.
“India, with approximately 125 GW of solar capacity, has become the world’s third-largest solar producer. Our journey is not just about numbers; it’s about people,” he said. “Decentralised solar energy has transformed lives by powering rural homes, health centres, and farms. Through the PM Surya Ghar – Muft Bijli Yojana, more than 20 lakh households now benefit from solar power.”
Joshi also noted the success of the PM-KUSUM scheme, which is driving rural energy transformation by installing small solar plants and solarising agricultural pumps across the country.
Speaking on India’s growing renewable capacity, MNRE Secretary Shri Santosh Kumar Sarangi said India ranks third globally in solar, fourth in wind, and third overall in renewable energy installations. He added that India is now the second-largest solar module manufacturer after China and is advancing in green hydrogen production, targeting five million tonnes by 2031.
Sarangi commended the ISA for promoting global collaboration, particularly in Africa and the Small Island Developing States (SIDS). “India is ready to share its solar experience and partner with countries seeking to replicate our successful models in both distributed and utility-scale solar projects,” he said.
ISA Director General Ashish Khanna underlined that the world’s energy transition has reached a defining moment. “It took oil 25 years to reach 1,000 GW—renewables achieved double that in just two years. For the first time, renewable generation has surpassed fossil generation,” he said.
Khanna described ISA as a platform driving large-scale solar deployment through collective global action. “This decade must be defined not just by ambition but by tangible action. ISA aims to move from dialogue to delivery—turning commitments into measurable impact,” he added.
He also outlined ISA’s focus on aggregation, standardisation, innovation, and capacity building, highlighting India’s potential to become the “Silicon Valley for Solar” through the Global Capability Centre (GCC) and STAR-C hubs that provide technical support and digital training worldwide.
The 2025 ISA Assembly will focus on four strategic pillars — Catalytic Finance Hub, Global Capability Centre & Digitisation, Regional & Country-Level Engagement, and Technology Roadmap & Policy. Key discussions will include mobilising finance through the Africa Solar Facility, advancing partnerships for SIDS, and promoting innovation in floating solar, AI, OSOWOG, green hydrogen, and solar for agriculture.
ISA will also launch its flagship publications, Ease of Doing Solar 2025 and Solar Trends 2025, highlighting key progress and global pathways to scale solar deployment.
Ahead of the Assembly, ISA held Regional Committee Meetings across Brussels, Colombo, Santiago, and Accra, with participation from over 100 countries. The meetings reviewed regional progress and aligned initiatives on catalytic finance, innovation, and solar energy access to feed into the Assembly’s outcomes.
Founded in 2015 by India and France, the International Solar Alliance aims to enhance global energy access, reduce technology costs, and promote investment in solar energy. Headquartered in India, ISA collaborates with multilateral development banks, DFIs, and private partners to accelerate clean energy adoption, particularly in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and SIDS.
Through these efforts, ISA continues to strengthen its mission of making solar energy a cornerstone of sustainable development worldwide.
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