28 October 2025 | New Delhi, India: The Hon’ble President of India, H. E. Smt. Droupadi Murmu delivered a keynote address at the Eighth Session of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Assembly today at the iconic Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. This marked the first-ever address by the President of India to the ISA Assembly, underscoring India’s commitment to ISA's leadership in advancing global solar energy cooperation and its founding vision of “One World, One Sun, One Grid advanced by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi. The President’s address set the tone for the Assembly’s high-level deliberations, which are hosting ministers, policymakers, and international partners from 125 Member and Signatory Countries, with the unanimous intention of accelerating global cooperation and investment in solar energy. This is an important global convening with the participation of over 550 delegates and 30 Ministers and Vice Ministers, which takes place a few days before COP30, to be hosted in Brazil.
In her keynote address, Hon’ble President of India, H.E. Smt Droupadi Murmu said, “The International Solar Alliance has already made remarkable progress, including the Global Solar Facility, Small Island Developing States Platform, Africa’s solar mini-grids and emerging digital innovations. The next step must be deeper inclusivity, ensuring that no woman, no farmer, no village, and no small island is left behind in this solar revolution. India remains steadfast in its commitment to work with all ISA Member Countries to build a solar-powered world—one in which every region, from the smallest island to the largest continent, prospers.”
She further added, “As this Assembly deliberates on the way forward, I urge all Member Countries to think beyond infrastructure and focus on the lives of the people. I urge this Assembly to develop a collective action plan that links solar energy with job creation, women’s leadership, rural livelihoods, and digital inclusion. Our progress should not only be measured through megawatts but through the number of lives illuminated, the number of families strengthened, and the number of communities transformed. The focus should also be on technology development and on sharing the latest and advanced technologies with all for maximum benefit. As we expand large-scale solar installations, we should ensure that the ecological balance of the region is preserved. After all, environment conservation for future is the very reason we are turning to green energy.”
The ISA, announced at COP21 in Paris, has evolved into a confident, results-driven institution underlining the notion of ambition to action. Over the past decade, it has moved from setting a global vision for solar energy to delivering measurable impact across Member Countries. Guided by its evolving vision anchored around four strategic pillars—Catalytic Finance Hub, Global Capability Centre & Digitisation, Regional and Country-Level Engagement, and Technology Roadmap & Policy—the Alliance is building a comprehensive ecosystem that mobilises investment, enhances capacity, informs policy, and promotes technological innovation, ensuring that solar energy becomes accessible, reliable, and affordable worldwide.
Shri Pralhad Joshi, Hon’ble Minister for New and Renewable Energy, India & President of ISA Assembly, said, “ISA is a true symbol of global cooperation and shared purpose. For thousands of years, India has shown how faith and progress, nature and growth, can move together in harmony. Just over a decade ago, India’s renewable energy journey was only beginning. Our challenge was to bring light to hundreds of millions of homes. Today, India stands at the forefront, not just as a participant but a leader in the global energy transition. India is now the world’s 4th-largest in RE capacity. This transformation was led by Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi. Under his leadership, India achieved the Nationally Determined Contribution target of 50% capacity from non-fossil sources, 5 years ahead of the deadline. India is the voice of the Global South. And through ISA, we are turning that voice into action, helping nations harness solar power and share technology.”
Representing the French Co-Presidency of the International Solar Alliance, H.E. Mrs Eléonore Caroit, French Minister of State (Ministre Déléguée) for Francophonie, International Partnerships and French Nationals Abroad, said in a video message: “France attaches the utmost importance to the International Solar Alliance, which plays a pivotal role in advancing solar energy. Since the launch of the Alliance nearly ten years ago, France has had the honour of serving as co-president alongside India. This longstanding partnership reflects our unwavering commitment to the success of the Alliance and to the acceleration of the energy transition through solar power deployment.”
H.E. Mr Benoit FARACO, Special Envoy for Climate, French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, said, “The Alliance’s work directly contributes to the implementation of COP decisions. Ten years ago, we adopted the Paris Agreement and decided on a common objective to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. We look forward to seeing ISA showcase its success at COP30 this November.” France also announced financial support to ISA’s flagship initiative, the Africa Solar Facility.
“The world is at a turning point in the solar revolution — it took 25 years to build the first 1,000 GW of solar capacity, but only two years to add the next 1,000 GW. With capacity set to double again within four years, the Global South stands at the centre of this transformation,” said Mr Ashish Khanna, Director General, International Solar Alliance. “ISA is now moving from advocacy to action — taking India’s successful solar experience in large-scale deployment, innovation, and affordability to countries across the Global South. Through initiatives such as joint procurement by Small Island Developing States, the Africa Solar Facility, the launch of the Global Capability Centre, new programmes on circularity & waste management, and a dedicated programme on OSOWOG, we are helping nations move from pilots to scale — building solar economies that are sustainable, inclusive, and regenerative. This is the moment for Global South leadership in shaping an inclusive, resilient, and solar-powered future.”
India’s achievements in solar energy are a powerful source of inspiration. Now the world’s third-largest solar power producer, India has achieved 50% of its total installed capacity from non-fossil fuel sources five years ahead of its 2030 target, avoided nearly ₹4 lakh crore (USD ~46 billion) in fossil fuel imports and pollution-related costs, and produced over 1,08,000 GWh of solar electricity. Through ISA, India will help replicate successful initiatives such as PM Surya Ghar – Muft Bijli Yojana and PM-KUSUM across developing countries, particularly in Africa and small island nations. These programmes demonstrate the transformative impact of decentralised, people-focused energy solutions—powering homes, supporting livelihoods, and taking energy access to the last mile. This is a shining example of South–South cooperation, sharing lessons, scaling solutions, and accelerating global solar adoption.
Key Highlights:
§ Launch of SUNRISE — the Solar Upcycling Network for Recycling, Innovation & Stakeholder Engagement. SUNRISE will connect governments, industries, and innovators to unlock the value embedded in solar waste, transforming end-of-life challenges into engines of new industrial growth, green employment, and sustainable resource management.
· A dedicated One Sun One World One Grid (OSOWOG) programme, creating a vertical to drive regional solar interconnections. A forthcoming report identifies priority links across East Asia–South Asia, South Asia–Middle East, Middle East–Europe, and Europe–Africa, with feasibility studies and regulatory work set to begin over the next 2–3 years.
· Ministers and heads of delegations from Small Island Developing States (SIDS) signed an in-
