Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, addressed the Columbia India Energy Dialogue in New Delhi, highlighting India's leadership in the global energy transition and reaffirming its commitment to equitable climate action.

Shri Goyal emphasised that while every country's transition pace may vary, the collective responsibility to tackle climate change must be universal. "The energy transition is not optional—it is a global necessity," he stated, adding that India has played a key role in rallying the Global South, notably during COP21, to become part of the climate solution.

The Minister criticised the developed world for falling short on their commitments made under the Paris Agreement. “Since 2015, the core issue has not just been climate change, but also the lack of delivery on technology transfer, concessional climate financing, and support aligned with the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities,” he noted.

Highlighting India’s climate achievements, he pointed out that India contributes only 3 per cent of global carbon emissions while supporting 17 per cent of the world's population. He noted that India met its 2030 renewable energy target of 200 gigawatts in 2022—eight years ahead of schedule—and that solar capacity has expanded over 30 times in the past decade.

Goyal also criticised excessive consumption in wealthy nations, stating that systemic carbon emissions are driven by behaviour patterns—from production to waste. He said these root causes must be addressed to reduce overall emissions.

He further spoke about India’s establishment of a 500-gigawatt unified national grid, enabled by Prime Minister Modi’s 2014 initiative to integrate regional power systems. This interconnected grid supports round-the-clock affordable power access while accommodating rising levels of clean energy.

Goyal also underscored advances in electric mobility, green hydrogen, biofuels, LED lighting, and green ammonia. He added that India is positioning itself as a global hub for clean energy-powered data centres with world-class infrastructure and high resilience.

Encouraging greater global academic collaboration, Goyal invited Columbia University to partner with India’s Institutes of Eminence and even consider establishing a campus in India.

In closing, he asserted: “India is not shying away from competition. We are entering global clean energy leadership from a position of strength. We will be both a partner and a pioneer in the world’s clean energy future.”