India Champions Solar Energy: Calls for Global Action on Energy Security for SIDS at CoP30

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, today urged the global community to unite in advancing energy security for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) during the High-Level Ministerial Leadership Session of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) SIDS Platform, held on the sidelines of UNFCCC CoP30 in Belém, Brazil.

Organised under the theme “Uniting Islands, Inspiring Action – Leadership for Energy Security”, the session brought together ministers and senior representatives from SIDS, ISA member nations, and partner organisations to discuss collective strategies for energy affordability, resilience, and clean energy transition.

Highlighting the unique vulnerabilities of SIDS—including high dependence on imported fossil fuels, climate-induced disruptions, and fragile infrastructure—Shri Yadav emphasized the ISA SIDS Platform’s role in creating a transformative digital and financial ecosystem to accelerate solar deployment. This includes standardized procurement, blended finance, local capacity building, and streamlined access to solar technologies.

Shri Yadav outlined India’s commitment to supporting SIDS through its own solar success stories, saying:

“Today, India has crossed 500 gigawatts of installed electricity capacity, more than half of which is clean energy. We have already achieved 50% non-fossil energy capacity, five years ahead of our NDC target.”

India now ranks as the 4th largest renewable energy producer and 3rd in solar power globally. The Minister attributed this achievement to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of Scale, Speed, and the power of ordinary people.

Shri Yadav shared grassroots examples, including the PM Surya Ghar Rooftop Solar Programme, narrating the story of a school teacher whose life transformed from worrying about monthly electricity bills to generating income from rooftop solar. He noted that over 20 lakh families in India have adopted rooftop solar, calling it “freedom for every household” and “a mini power plant on every roof.”

On solar for agriculture, the Minister said:

“Solar for Agriculture is a new dawn for our farmer community. Solar pumps and solarised feeders provide assured daytime solar-powered energy, eliminating diesel dependency and enhancing reliability.”

The Minister also highlighted initiatives like PM JANMAN for electrifying remote and forested areas and India’s push in energy storage, citing projects such as the Ladakh solar-plus-battery facility capable of powering an entire city. He suggested that similar models can help SIDS reduce diesel imports, cut energy costs, and strengthen climate resilience.

Reaffirming India’s commitment to the ISA, Shri Yadav added:

“ISA has emerged as a Global Solar Family, with more than 124 countries participating—from the Pacific islands to Africa and South America. ISA is mobilising finance, generating local jobs, and making solar energy the preferred choice for reliable electricity.”

Concluding with a call for shared global action, he said:

“Solar energy is more than technology—it is hope, empowerment, independence, dignity, and peace.”

Representatives from small island nations and other participants lauded India’s rapid renewable energy progress, especially in solar, and expressed support for the SIDS Platform’s mission to unlock renewable potential, enhance climate resilience, develop local skills, and de-risk climate finance.