On the Foundation Day of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) in New Delhi the Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, reflected on the growing global momentum behind solar energy. He said the Alliance originated from a joint India and France vision to place the power of the sun at the centre of global development and that the initiative embodies the Indian philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. The minister emphasised that the ISA demonstrates how shared vision and global partnership can advance sustainable development.

Delegates noted that the Alliance has expanded into a coalition of 125 member and signatory countries and a network of partner organisations that support deployment in emerging and developing economies. The ISA has promoted interventions that improve lives by solarising health centres, powering irrigation and cold storage for agriculture, and extending electricity to schools and public institutions. Support for startups and young professionals has been reported to foster innovation, create jobs and strengthen clean energy leadership across regions.

The minister underlined India’s progress, stating that installed solar capacity has reached nearly 136 gigawatts (GW), representing almost half of the country’s renewable capacity and illustrating the impact of sustained policy commitment. Flagship programmes such as PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana and PM-KUSUM were described as enabling millions of households to generate their own electricity and empowering farmers through solar irrigation. The government is pursuing an ambition to reach 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030.

The address highlighted that while the first 1,000 gigawatts of global solar capacity took decades to install the pace of deployment is accelerating and the centre of gravity is shifting towards the Global South. The ISA’s initiatives encompass decentralised renewable energy, solar irrigation, catalytic finance platforms and a Global Mission on AI for Energy to build smarter and more resilient systems. Announcements included the Green Hydrogen and Storage Start-up Challenge 2026 to support innovative firms and an enhanced website to improve access to knowledge, programmes and member engagement.