WEF 2026: India Strengthens Global Renewable Energy Partnerships, Says Union Minister Pralhad Joshi

Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi said India’s engagements at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos have significantly strengthened the country’s global partnerships and reinforced investor confidence in India’s renewable energy transition.

Following a series of high-level meetings with global leaders, institutional investors and industry executives, the Minister said the interactions yielded valuable insights, deepened strategic collaborations and reaffirmed India’s position as one of the world’s most attractive destinations for long-term clean energy investments.

“The discussions at WEF 2026 renewed global confidence in India’s clean energy journey and strengthened our resolve to accelerate the transition through stable policies, sustained international cooperation and long-term investment,” Joshi said.

Showcasing India’s Clean Energy Investment Story

At WEF 2026, the Union Minister highlighted India’s long-term investment potential, underpinned by predictable regulations, policy stability and strong coordination between Central and State governments. Global stakeholders acknowledged India’s ability to rapidly scale renewable energy capacity while ensuring inclusive socio-economic growth.

During multiple sessions and media interactions, Joshi outlined India’s progress in renewable energy driven by transparent governance, people-centric programmes and robust execution. International investors expressed strong interest in India’s investible project pipeline and recognised the success of flagship initiatives such as PM-Surya Ghar and PM-KUSUM, which have demonstrated large-scale implementation capabilities.

India’s efforts to strengthen domestic manufacturing across the solar PV value chain were also widely appreciated, positioning the country as a resilient and competitive clean energy manufacturing hub. The export potential of green hydrogen derivatives was highlighted as a key opportunity to support the energy transition of partner nations.

India’s Energy Transition Vision

Addressing global leaders, the Minister emphasised the growing role of Artificial Intelligence in the energy sector, noting its ability to improve forecasting accuracy, reduce transmission losses, lower costs and enhance grid reliability. He highlighted India’s shift from pilot projects to platform-based deployment through Digital Public Infrastructure for Energy, enabling large-scale adoption of AI-driven solutions.

India showcased its milestone achievement of 267 GW of non-fossil fuel-based installed electricity capacity and the attainment of 50 per cent non-fossil capacity, achieved five years ahead of its 2030 Paris Agreement target. The Minister noted that an estimated USD 300–350 billion (around ₹30 lakh crore) in financing will be required to achieve 500 GW of non-fossil capacity by 2030, inviting global investors to partner in this growth journey.

High-Level Bilateral Engagements

On the sidelines of WEF 2026, Joshi held several bilateral meetings aimed at mobilising long-term capital and deepening international cooperation.

Discussions with Dr. Said Mohammed Ahmed Al Saqri of Oman focused on collaboration in solar, wind, green hydrogen and energy storage technologies suited to arid regions, with opportunities explored under CEPA, the International Solar Alliance and the One Sun One World One Grid initiative.

Meetings with Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot reaffirmed cooperation in research and development, offshore wind, solar energy and green taxonomy. Talks with Kuwait’s Minister of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy Subaih Abdul Aziz Al-Mukhaizeem explored potential investments in India’s renewable energy sector, including interest from the Kuwait Investment Authority in India’s solar manufacturing ecosystem.

The Minister also met Paraguay President Santiago Peña, discussing technology partnerships, capacity-building and knowledge-sharing, while leveraging Paraguay’s clean energy strengths for regional cooperation.

Global South Cooperation and Multilateral Engagements

WEF 2026 highlighted replicable renewable energy models for the Global South, with India committing to share best practices on solar parks, hydrogen hubs and energy storage solutions. Discussions with Zimbabwe’s Foreign Minister Amon Murwira focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation, including ISA-supported initiatives such as the STAR-C Centre in Zimbabwe.

Meetings were also held with Jordan’s Minister of Investment Dr Tareq Abu Ghazaleh and Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Zeina Toukan to explore potential investment partnerships.

The Minister engaged with IEA Executive Director Dr. Fatih Birol and IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi to strengthen cooperation with multilateral agencies for advancing clean energy technologies and accelerating the global energy transition.

Industry Partnerships and Innovation

Joshi met senior executives from leading global energy and investment firms to explore expanded collaboration. Discussions with Mercuria Group CFO Guillaume Vermersch focused on renewable energy scaling, carbon markets, climate finance, green hydrogen, biofuels and energy storage, with Mercuria expressing interest in increasing green energy investments in India.

A meeting with TotalEnergies Chairman and CEO Patrick Pouyanné explored expansion in solar and storage, green hydrogen development under the National Green Hydrogen Mission, and partnerships in climate finance and technology.

The Minister also engaged with La Caisse CEO Charles Emond and COO Sarah Bouchard, encouraging long-term climate investments aligned with the firm’s plan to invest USD 400 billion in climate action by 2030.

Strong interest in India’s solar, wind and hybrid projects was expressed during discussions with Ingka Group CEO Juvencio Maeztu, while meetings with leaders from ENGIE, EDF, EDF Power Solutions and Acciona focused on expanding investments in India’s renewable energy sector.

Engagements under the National Green Hydrogen Mission included discussions with Topsoe on next-generation electrolyser technologies and with Bloom Energy on distributed power and fuel cell solutions for industrial clusters and data centres.

Talks with S&P Global President Dave Ernsberger focused on strengthening frameworks for credit assessment, ESG standards and price discovery in renewable energy markets.

India Remains a Key Global Clean Energy Destination

The engagements at Davos 2026 reaffirmed India’s position as a central hub for global clean energy investments, driven by scale, policy certainty, execution capability and a people-centric approach to sustainable growth. Global companies are increasingly exploring partnerships with Indian firms to leverage local expertise and expand their presence through both greenfield and brownfield investments.