India Leads BRICS Energy Cooperation With Smart Grid And Energy Storage Initiatives

India successfully hosted the 11th BRICS Energy Ministers’ Meeting in Gurugram, Haryana, under its 2026 BRICS Chairship. The meeting was held with the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability” and focused on strengthening cooperation among BRICS nations in the energy sector. Guided by the vision of “Energy for All,” the event brought together energy ministers, senior government officials, and representatives from international organizations, including the International Solar Alliance, the Global Biofuels Alliance, and the New Development Bank.

The meeting focused on three major areas of cooperation. The first was energy security and sustainability, where ministers discussed the importance of building resilient electricity grids, ensuring stable energy supply chains, and securing access to critical minerals needed for clean energy technologies. The second area was energy access and equity. Leaders stressed the need for affordable financing, wider access to clean energy, and clean cooking solutions, particularly for developing countries. The third area focused on technology and innovation, with discussions covering smart grids, hydrogen value chains, artificial intelligence, and other advanced technologies that can support the global energy transition.

One of the key achievements of India’s BRICS Chairship was the launch of the BRICS Digital Centre of Excellence for Smart Grids and Energy Storage. The new virtual platform will promote voluntary cooperation, knowledge sharing, research, and pilot projects among member countries. The ministers also adopted the BRICS Guiding Principles on Smart Grids and Energy Storage, which aim to support the integration of renewable energy into modern power systems. Progress was also reported on the BRICS Joint Report on Hydrogen Value Chains 2026, while an updated framework for the BRICS Energy Research Cooperation Platform received approval.

During the meeting, Union Minister of Power Shri Manohar Lal highlighted India’s significant achievements in the energy sector over the past decade. He said India has become the world’s third-largest producer and consumer of electricity, with nearly 540 GW of installed power capacity, more than half of which comes from non-fossil fuel sources. He also pointed to the country’s rapid expansion of solar energy and outlined future targets of achieving 400 GWh of energy storage by 2032 and 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047.

The meeting concluded with the unanimous adoption of a Joint Communiqué that reaffirmed the BRICS commitment to building secure, affordable, sustainable, and diversified energy systems. Member countries appreciated India’s leadership during its presidency and expressed support for future youth engagement initiatives while looking ahead to continued cooperation under China’s BRICS Chairship in 2027.