Expressing concern over the uneven global transition to clean energy, India’s Minister for New and Renewable Energy announced a $25 million contribution to the African Solar Facility under the International Solar Alliance, aimed at supporting investments in mini grids and distributed renewables across Africa.
India is emerging as the voice of the Global South, and through the multilateral International Solar Alliance (ISA), it is turning that voice into action in the global green energy transition, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Venkatesh Joshi has said.
“India’s renewable tariffs—whether solar, solar-plus-battery, or green ammonia—are among the lowest globally. This reflects our ability to combine scale with speed and skill to make clean energy affordable,” Joshi remarked while addressing the Eighth Plenary Session of ISA in New Delhi on Tuesday.
He noted that while the world is witnessing the fastest-ever expansion of clean energy, with solar alone accounting for 1,600 GW or nearly 40 per cent of global renewable generation capacity, progress remains uneven.
“In the sub-Saharan region of Africa and small island nations, millions still live without reliable electricity. Bridging this divide demands collective ambition and equitable finance. India is now working on a contribution of $25 million to the African Solar Facility under ISA to support investments in mini grids and distributed renewables across Africa.”
Joshi said this reflects India’s belief in equitable growth within the Global South and invited ISA partner countries to join the mission to engage, energise, and empower the new global energy order.
Renewables with Purpose
He highlighted that the International Energy Agency (IEA) projects India will become the world’s second-largest renewable energy market by 2030. He added that Germanwatch’s Climate Change Performance Index 2025 ranks India tenth globally among top climate performers, and that India is the only G20 nation to have achieved its 2030 renewable energy target as early as 2021.
“We have consistently been at the forefront of global efforts to mitigate climate change. India now ranks third in the world in terms of growth in power generation capacity over the past five years. For a nation with one of the lowest per capita emissions and energy consumption globally, our commitment to clean energy transition is truly remarkable.”
He said the philosophy of antyodaya—serving the last person in the line first—continues to guide India’s energy transition. Through schemes such as PM Kusum, farmers now irrigate their land using free solar electricity, while PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana aims to install 10 million rooftop solar panels, turning households into clean energy producers.
“We are proving that clean energy is not a privilege for a few, it is a right for all. Under PM Janman, off-grid solar is lighting remote tribal hamlets that have waited 75 years for power. For us, energy justice is a normal necessity. The spirit of service extends to the world.”
Joshi said ISA stands as a platform for South-South cooperation and affirmed that sunlight belongs to all humanity through its ‘One Sun, One World, One Grid’ initiative. He emphasised that greatness lies not in domination but in service by becoming a vishwamitra, or friend of the world.
– Manish Pant