India Reaffirms Global Renewable Energy Leadership at IRENA Assembly, Showcases Accelerated Clean Power Transition

Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday delivered India’s national statement at the 16th Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in Abu Dhabi, reiterating India’s commitment to a just, affordable and sustainable global energy transition.

Addressing the Assembly, the Minister said India’s energy transition is guided by the principle of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam—One Earth, One Family, One Future—anchored in equity, inclusivity and long-term policy stability. He reaffirmed India’s targets of achieving 500 GW of non-fossil fuel power capacity by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2070.

Highlighting a key milestone, Joshi said India has already achieved 50 per cent of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources in 2025, five years ahead of its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) timeline under the Paris Agreement. India’s total renewable energy capacity has crossed 266 GW, placing it among the world’s leading renewable energy markets.

The Minister noted that as one of the fastest-growing major energy markets globally, India is focusing on strengthening grid reliability through energy storage deployment, grid modernisation, Green Energy Corridors and innovative bidding mechanisms, including hybrid and round-the-clock renewable energy projects. He also emphasised efforts to expand domestic manufacturing across solar, wind, battery and electrolyser segments to support resilient clean energy supply chains.

Underscoring the people-centric approach of India’s transition, Joshi highlighted flagship schemes such as PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, under which around 2.5 million households have adopted rooftop solar systems within two years, with a target of 10 million households by March 2027. He added that the PM-KUSUM scheme has benefited about 2.17 million farmers through solarisation of pumps and agricultural feeders.

On investment needs, the Minister said India would require nearly USD 300 billion by 2030, creating opportunities across renewable generation, storage, green hydrogen, grids and manufacturing. He added that stable policies and transparent markets continue to position India as a preferred destination for clean energy investment.

Calling for stronger international cooperation, Joshi stressed the need for technology transfer, affordable finance, capacity building and harmonisation of standards to enable developing countries to scale up renewables without hindering development goals. Reaffirming India’s support for IRENA, he said India is ready to share its experience and technical expertise, particularly with Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States.

Earlier, the Minister participated in a high-level dialogue on “Reimagining Energy Futures: Bold Visions for Shared Prosperity,” where he said India added nearly 50 GW of renewable energy capacity in 2025 and reiterated the need for equity-driven, inclusive energy transitions.

Joshi also congratulated the Dominican Republic on assuming the IRENA presidency and extended best wishes to the vice presidents Kenya, Solomon Islands, Spain, and Antigua and Barbuda.

On the sidelines of the Assembly, the Minister met Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment of the United Arab Emirates, to review India–UAE cooperation in climate action, clean energy and food security. The discussions focused on enhancing collaboration in renewables, decentralised energy solutions, manufacturing, energy storage, technology cooperation and blended finance, aligned with the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 goal.