India Re-elected as ISA President for Third Term at BRE Summit 2026
Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Shri Pralhad Joshi announced India's election as President of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) for the third consecutive term during the Bharat Renewable Energy Summit and Expo 2026, held from November 2-5, 2026. The Minister reaffirmed India's commitment to advancing international solar cooperation under the vision of 'Power To Empower' and the principle of 'One Sun, One World, One Grid', emphasizing equitable sharing of progress benefits.
India and France established the ISA in 2015, which has now grown to include 130 signatory and member countries, serving as a powerful platform for international cooperation, particularly for the Global South. The Summit discussions focused on moving from solar commitments to investments, partnerships to projects, and ambition to impact.
Financial Commitments and Solar Deployment Initiatives
The Minister highlighted key financial initiatives including the USD 200 million Africa Solar Facility aimed at unlocking investment in Africa's distributed renewable energy sector, with India committing approximately ₹225 crore (USD 25 million) to make affordable solar energy accessible to underserved communities. Additionally, the USD 300 million Nigeria Distributed Renewable Energy Fund was presented as a model for scaling similar approaches across the African continent.
Agricultural Transformation through Solar Energy
Shri Joshi emphasized that solar energy has empowered 3 million farmers through India's PM-KUSUM initiative, demonstrating how solar-powered agriculture can reduce irrigation costs and create additional income opportunities. The ISA is working to adapt this Agri-PV model across member countries, particularly in Africa, placing farmers at the center of the energy transition.
Global Solar Projects and Capacity Building
ISA-supported initiatives in Fiji, Madagascar, Comoros, and Seychelles have demonstrated solar energy's role in strengthening livelihoods and climate resilience by powering healthcare facilities and schools, providing clean drinking water, and supporting agricultural cold storage. The Alliance is advancing aggregated solar and storage opportunities, beginning with Mauritius, to create scalable models for Small Island Developing States.
To strengthen national capabilities, 17 Solar Technology Application Resource Centres have been established along with the Global Capability Centre–SHINE (Strategic Hub for Innovation and Execution) and an AI-enabled ISA Academy, focusing on institution strengthening, skills development, and harnessing emerging technologies to accelerate solar deployment.
The Minister concluded that as artificial intelligence reshapes economies, access to affordable, reliable, and clean electricity will become an even greater strategic imperative, requiring shared responsibility, sustained investment, and collective action for solar energy's future.