India eyes electricity trade with Southeast Asian countries

New Delhi, July 21 (KNN) India is planning to trade power with Southeast Asian countries through Myanmar and Thailand to use its rising renewables capacity to boost regional diplomatic engagement, reported Reuters.

The grid linkages, which an industry official said could take at least four years to complete.

It follows India's effort to begin trading power with Middle Eastern countries such as the United Arab Emirates. 

As a strategy to push back China’s growing regional influence, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has been trying to promote closer political and economic ties with its neighbours.

Indian energy officials are holding separate and group discussions with some countries on advancing regional power grid interconnections at ongoing Group of 20 (G20) ministerial meetings in the Indian state of Goa, the power ministry officials said.

Support from G20 members is seen as key to winning backing from bankers and developers in making investment decisions, one of the ministry officials said.

“Once we are able to connect India's national grid to Burma (Myanmar), we should be able to strengthen the grid there and further transmit to Thailand and even Asia's east,” the industry official said.  (KNN Bureau)