India Pitches Renewable Energy as Pillar of Climate-Resilient Agriculture and Rural Prosperity

Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi on Monday said renewable energy is emerging as a critical enabler of climate-resilient agriculture, energy security, and rural prosperity, as India intensifies efforts to integrate clean energy with agrifood systems.

Addressing the Inter-ministerial Dialogue on Scaling Renewable Energy in Agrifood Systems, jointly convened by International Renewable Energy Agency and the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Minister highlighted India’s dual responsibility on global platforms, representing nearly one-sixth of humanity while managing some of the world’s largest food security programmes and one of the fastest-growing renewable energy markets.

Emphasising the country’s agrarian ethos, Mr. Joshi said Indian farmers—revered as Annadata (food providers)—are increasingly becoming Urjadata (energy providers) through the expansion of decentralised renewable energy solutions. He noted that distributed clean energy is transforming rural India by simultaneously addressing energy access, climate action, agricultural productivity, and livelihood security.

According to the Minister, India’s strategy combines ambition with on-ground implementation, supported by stable policies, decentralised execution, inclusive design, and strong inter-ministerial coordination. He pointed to flagship initiatives integrating solar energy into agriculture, which have significantly reduced dependence on diesel, stabilised irrigation costs, lowered emissions, and shifted government support from recurring subsidies to long-term, asset-based investments. By late 2025, these efforts had resulted in the installation of nearly one million standalone solar pumps and the solarisation of over 1.1 million grid-connected pumps, adding more than 10.2 GW of capacity.

Mr. Joshi also underlined that policy consistency and aggregation of agricultural demand have helped unlock private investment by improving project scale and bankability. Measures enabling farmers to sell surplus solar power, programmes converting agricultural residues into bioenergy, and the rapid expansion of rooftop solar in households have created new income streams, reduced energy imports, and strengthened rural energy security.

Looking ahead, the Minister announced preparations for the rollout of an enhanced phase of the agriculture-focused solar programme, with a renewed emphasis on decentralised solar solutions and agri-photovoltaics. He said well-designed agri-PV systems can allow crops and solar power generation to coexist, helping maintain or even improve yields, moderate micro-climates, generate clean electricity, and diversify farmer incomes.

Concluding his address, Mr. Joshi said India, with abundant sunshine and over 146 million small landholdings, is well positioned to emerge as a global leader in renewable energy-enabled agrifood systems and expressed readiness to deepen international partnerships to scale such solutions.

On the sidelines of the 16th Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency, the Union Minister held a series of bilateral meetings to strengthen clean energy cooperation. He met Ms. Elín Rós, Director General for International Development Cooperation at Iceland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs, with discussions focusing on technical collaboration to scale geothermal energy deployment in India.

In another engagement, Mr. Joshi met Ms. Ditte Juul Jorgensen, Director-General for Energy at the European Commission, to review progress under the India–European Union Clean Energy and Climate Partnership, with both sides stressing the importance of delivering tangible outcomes on the ground.

The Minister also held talks with H.E. Mohammed Hassan Al Suwaidi, Minister of Investment of the United Arab Emirates, on enhancing India–UAE cooperation in renewable energy and clean infrastructure. The discussions reaffirmed strong momentum in bilateral investment ties, supported by India’s rapid expansion of non-fossil fuel capacity, a growing domestic manufacturing base, and a stable policy environment.

Separately, Mr. Joshi visited the Louvre Abu Dhabi, describing it as a symbol of cultural dialogue and shared human heritage, and noted with appreciation the presence of Indian artistic traditions showcased at the museum, reflecting the country’s deep civilisational legacy.