The Indo-German Partnership for Green and Sustainable Development (GSDP), in collaboration with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), hosted the tenth edition of the GSDP Conversation Series under the theme “Energy Security through Renewable Energies.” The high-level discussion brought together government officials, industry leaders, renewable energy experts, think tanks, and private sector representatives to explore strategies for accelerating India’s renewable energy transition and strengthening the country’s energy security.
Addressing the event, Dr. Philipp Ackermann, German Ambassador to India and Bhutan, emphasized that renewable energy has evolved beyond a climate imperative to become an economic and strategic necessity. He noted that both India and Germany face the common challenge of reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels while enhancing energy independence.
“Renewable energy creates a powerful trinity of climate action, economic opportunity, and energy security,” Dr. Ackermann said. He highlighted India’s progress in renewable energy deployment, with renewable sources contributing approximately 26% of the country’s electricity generation. He also underscored the significance of the GSDP partnership as India and Germany celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations.
Dr. Ackermann added that bilateral cooperation has evolved into a comprehensive partnership focused on climate action and sustainable development, supporting resilient economic growth. The two countries are collaborating across several areas, including renewable energy deployment and manufacturing, battery storage, grid integration, energy efficiency, green urban mobility, biodiversity conservation, climate adaptation and mitigation, sustainable urban development, and vocational education.
Speaking on India’s renewable energy priorities, Santosh Kumar Sarangi, Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), highlighted the growing importance of energy security amid global geopolitical uncertainties.
“The recent crisis in West Asia has once again highlighted the critical importance of energy security,” Sarangi said. He noted that renewable energy technologies such as solar, wind, battery energy storage systems, and green hydrogen have significant potential to strengthen energy security while advancing sustainable development.
Sarangi stated that non-fossil fuel sources currently account for nearly 54% of India’s installed electricity capacity. He reaffirmed the country’s commitment to achieving 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030 and emphasized the role of international partnerships in driving innovation, mobilizing investments, and advancing climate and energy goals.
India has set ambitious targets of achieving 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030 and reaching net-zero emissions by 2070. Solar energy, wind power, and energy storage technologies are expected to play a central role in reducing reliance on fossil fuels and enabling the country’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
With India’s rapidly expanding economy and increasing energy demand, participants highlighted energy security as a critical pillar of national development. Reliable and affordable energy access was identified as essential for supporting the vision of “Viksit Bharat” and achieving a USD 30 trillion economy by 2047.
During the discussion, speakers emphasized the need to accelerate renewable energy deployment, expand investments in energy storage and grid modernization, and strengthen public-private partnerships to enhance energy resilience and support sustainable economic growth.
The panel also discussed the broader challenges associated with scaling renewable energy adoption. Experts noted that the next phase of India’s clean energy transition must address generation, transmission, distribution, storage, financing, domestic manufacturing, localized energy solutions, and the electrification of energy-intensive sectors in an integrated manner.
Referring to the NITI Aayog’s “Pathway to Net Zero” report published in February 2026, participants highlighted that the success of India’s net-zero ambitions will depend not only on clean energy generation but also on the country’s ability to absorb, transmit, finance, and utilize renewable power reliably at scale.
The panel featured distinguished speakers including Dr. Philipp Ackermann, German Ambassador to India and Bhutan; Santosh Kumar Sarangi, Secretary, MNRE; Vaishali Nigam Sinha, Co-founder and Chairperson of Sustainability at ReNew; and Aparna Roy, Fellow and Lead, Climate Change and Energy at Observer Research Foundation.
Germany remains a longstanding partner in India’s energy transition, with both countries collaborating through development cooperation initiatives focused on renewable energy expansion, power sector reforms, transmission and distribution infrastructure, energy storage, green hydrogen, energy efficiency, climate finance, and workforce skill development.
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