India Calls For Stronger Global Support To Boost Energy Security For SIDS

New Delhi, Nov 20 (KNN) India called for strengthened global cooperation to bolster energy security for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) at the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Leadership Session held alongside the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) CoP30 in Belém, Brazil. 

The High-Level Ministerial programme, organised under the theme ‘Uniting Islands, Inspiring Action – Leadership for Energy Security’, brought together ministers and senior representatives from SIDS, International Solar Alliance (ISA) member countries and partner institutions to advance coordinated efforts in solar deployment, affordability and resilience.

Speaking at the session, Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav highlighted the unique vulnerabilities faced by SIDS, including reliance on imported fossil fuels and climate-induce disruptions. 

The ISA SIDS Platform, he noted, seeks to address these challenges through a digital and financial ecosystem designed to accelerate solar adoption via standardised procurement, blended finance, capacity building and improved access to solar technologies.

India shared several of its solar energy models with participating nations, including rooftop solar adoption, agricultural solar applications and rural energy solutions. 

“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,” Yadav stated.

He also noted India’s position as one of the largest producers of renewable and solar power globally.

The Minister cited the expansion of rooftop solar systems, uptake of solar pumps and solarised feeders in agriculture, and electrification of remote regions under national schemes as examples of community-level transformation. 

He also referred to large-scale solar-plus-storage projects, including one in Ladakh, as models relevant for SIDS aiming to reduce diesel imports and strengthen energy resilience.

Reaffirming India’s support to the ISA, he said the alliance now includes more than 124 countries and continues to facilitate project development, finance mobilisation and local job creation in the solar sector.

(KNN Bureau)