Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, addressed the High-Level Ministerial Leadership Session of the ISA SIDS Platform on the sidelines of UNFCCC CoP30 in Belém, Brazil, the Ministry announced on Wednesday (local time). Held under the theme “Uniting Islands, Inspiring Action – Leadership for Energy Security”, the event brought together Ministers and senior representatives from Small Island Developing States (SIDS), International Solar Alliance (ISA) members and partner organisations to advance energy security, affordability and climate resilience.

The session highlighted the unique vulnerabilities faced by SIDS, including dependence on imported fossil fuels, climate-linked disruptions and fragile infrastructure. The Ministry noted that the ISA SIDS Platform aims to build a transformative digital and financial ecosystem to accelerate solar deployment through standardised procurement, blended finance, local capacity-building and easier access to solar technologies.

Yadav reaffirmed India’s commitment to supporting SIDS in advancing clean energy pathways through the ISA. He opened with optimism, citing India’s rapid progress in renewable energy. “India has crossed 500 gigawatts of installed electricity capacity — and more than half of it is clean energy. India has already reached 50 per cent non-fossil energy capacity, five years ahead of its NDC target,” he said. India is now the fourth-largest renewable energy producer and third in solar power globally, he added.

The Minister credited this progress to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s emphasis on scale, speed and public participation. Sharing grassroots experiences, he highlighted the PM Surya Ghar Rooftop Solar Programme, including the story of a schoolteacher whose life transformed from fearing monthly electricity bills to welcoming sunshine as a source of income. More than 20 lakh families have adopted rooftop solar, which he described as “freedom for every household — a mini power plant on every roof”.

Speaking on solar-powered agriculture, Yadav said solar pumps and solarised feeders are helping farmers receive assured daytime power, eliminating diesel use and reducing stress. He also noted initiatives lighting up remote and forest regions through the PM JANMAN scheme, as well as India’s major drive in energy storage, including one of the world’s largest solar-and-battery projects in Ladakh.

He stressed that such models could help SIDS cut diesel imports, lower energy costs and strengthen climate resilience.

Reaffirming India’s commitment to ISA, Yadav said the Alliance has become a “global solar family”, now comprising more than 124 countries. ISA, he noted, is accelerating project design, mobilising finance, generating jobs and making solar the preferred source of affordable, reliable clean energy across developing regions.

Concluding his address, Yadav called for shared global action, stating: “Solar energy is spreading its light in more than technological ways. It is Hope. It is Empowerment. It is Independence. It is Dignity. It is Peace.”