India

India’s Clean Energy Push Keeps Economy Strong Amid West Asia Crisis

By Atul Mathur

At the opening of the Bharat Renewable Energy Summit in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India’s economic growth has stayed robust despite the West Asia crisis, crediting the country’s decade‑long investment in clean energy. Modi highlighted that India has already installed nearly 300 GW of non‑fossil power capacity, more than half of its total capacity, and is working toward a target of 500 GW by 2030. He noted that the clean energy sector could offer investment opportunities exceeding ₹20 lakh crore ($220 billion) by the end of the decade, with more than ₹15 lakh crore ($164 billion) invested in the past ten years, including ₹6 lakh crore ($63 billion) in the last two years.

The Prime Minister stressed that the ongoing energy crisis underscores the link between energy security and economic security, urging a reduction in dependence on fossil fuels. He called for a “clean cooking movement” to cut reliance on imported gas and encouraged startups to develop rooftop solar solutions for cooking. Modi also promoted wider adoption of electric vehicles, suggesting households could charge them using rooftop solar power.

Referencing schemes such as PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana and PM‑Kusum, Modi urged farmers to become energy producers by installing solar panels on vacant farmland and field boundaries, saying, “Annadata should become Urjadata.” He praised India’s political and policy stability as a unique advantage for clean energy development.

The speech was delivered at the Bharat Mandapam on Monday, with Modi emphasizing that the global crisis has made clear that energy security is directly linked to economic security and that continued fossil‑fuel dependence will lead to repeated disruptions.