Excelsior Correspondent
New Delhi, Jan 29: Dr. P. K. Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister addressed the inaugural Session of the International Conference on ‘Sustainable Energy Transition- Global Perspective’ at IRADe today.
Dr Mishra emphasized that clean energy is deeply embedded in India’s vision of Viksit Bharat. He said that it is no longer a sectoral agenda; it is central to growth, competitiveness, social inclusion, and energy security.
Dr Mishra drew inspiration from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s words during India Energy Week last year, “A developed India will be built on clean energy, green growth, and sustainable lifestyles.”, he said. India’s energy transition since 2014 offers two key lessons. Firstly, ambitious targets gain credibility only when supported by institutional architecture, sustained financial commitment, and consistent execution. India’s ability to achieve 50% of installed capacity for clean energy by 2025 instead of 2030, and 100 GW of solar capacity well ahead of earlier expectations, demonstrates the importance of policy continuity and institutional strength; Secondly, energy transitions are most durable when they deliver tangible welfare gains. Dr Mishra added, PM-KUSUM’s impact on farmers, PM Surya Ghar’s relief for households, and the jobs created through solar manufacturing and electric mobility show that decarbonisation and development can reinforce, rather than undermine, each other.
Dr Mishra focussed on energy security, affordability, and universal access as he opined for the Global South, this transition must be just, inclusive, and development-aligned-recognising differentiated responsibilities, national circumstances, and the need for sustained international cooperation.
Dr Mishra optimistically said that India has already reduced the emissions intensity of its GDP by about 36 percent between 2005 and 2020 and became the first G20 country to meet its Paris Agreement commitments nine years ahead of the 2030 timeline. It is against this backdrop that we must view India’s energy transition strategy, he added.
Dr Mishra stressed that diversification of energy sources has also contributed to decarbonization and energy security. Talking on a slew of initiatives by Government including the acceleration of the National Solar Mission, with the solar target scaled up from 20 GW to 100 GW; amendments to the National Tariff Policy in 2016; National Policy on Biofuels (2018); The National Hydrogen Mission, announced by the Prime Minister on Independence Day 2021, has signalled a shift towards green hydrogen as a means to decarbonise the economy and reduce long-term fossil fuel imports.
Dr Mishra underlined that India has undertaken a historic reform by opening nuclear energy to private participation, through recent legislative initiatives. This is expected to scale nuclear capacity significantly by 2047 and provide firm, zero-carbon baseload power. Dr Mishra emphasised that taken together, these measures align energy transition directly with energy security and import reduction, enhancing India’s strategic autonomy.
Dr Mishra stressed that PM-KUSUM thus exemplifies policy convergence: energy transition supports agricultural resilience, fiscal sustainability, and rural development in a mutually reinforcing manner. The biofuels programme further deepens this rural transformation, he said.
Dr Mishra said benefits of clean energy extends directly to households, turning consumers into active participants and producers in the energy system. He further mentioned that India has already achieved near-universal household electrification, ensuring that clean energy expansion coincides with social inclusion. Building on this, the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, launched in 2024, brings clean energy directly to rooftops. Together with building codes and efficiency standards, UJALA LED programme programmes make energy efficiency a cornerstone of India’s low-carbon development strategy.
Dr Mishra stressed that the launch of the Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) movement was a significant development as it recognised that the importance of behavioural change along with technology from sustainability perspective. With these measures, he said that India has become the first G20 country to meet its Paris targets well ahead of schedule and has now crossed 50% non-fossil installed electricity capacity, again ahead of declared timelines.
On Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for solar PV modules, Dr Mishra stressed on its importance in a decisive shift towards domestic manufacturing. Since 2022, solar module manufacturing capacity has expanded to around 120 GW, an increase of about 82 GW. This is complemented by support for advanced battery manufacturing and other clean energy supply chains, Dr Mishra added.
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