Event Overview

On 14 October 2026, Policy Perspectives Foundation (PPF) and Orange Circle Energy (OCE) hosted RE: DIALOGUES 2026: Powering a Developed India in New Delhi. The forum brought together senior policymakers, industry leaders, technology experts and researchers to examine India’s evolving electricity requirements, grid constraints and power‑system planning.

Core Themes

The dialogue focused on four inter‑linked priorities: (1) projected electricity demand, (2) transmission and distribution infrastructure, (3) regulatory stability, and (4) the economics of power generation. Participants stressed that India must look beyond expanding generation capacity and address the infrastructure, planning and investment needed to deliver power reliably and affordably as the economy grows.

Statements from Leaders

  • Shri Bhupinder Bhalla, former Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, served as Chief Guest. He said India’s energy transition must be viewed in the wider context of development priorities, emphasizing the need to strengthen domestic manufacturing, advance technology, mobilise investment, create jobs and safeguard energy security through coordinated centre‑state planning.
  • Nikesh Sinha, Founder of Orange Circle Energy, opened with an analysis using international per‑capita electricity consumption benchmarks to illustrate the potential scale of future power needs. He highlighted the long lead‑times for transmission build‑out, right‑of‑way constraints, transformer availability and the geographic mismatch between renewable generation sites and consumption hubs. He urged alignment of transmission planning with generation and consideration of decentralised solutions.
  • Safi Ahsan Rizvi, former Advisor to the National Disaster Management Authority, argued that beyond new funding mechanisms, existing public resources should be strategically re‑allocated toward renewable energy and disaster resilience, noting that even modest reallocations, supported by appropriate institutional frameworks, can unlock large‑scale investment.

Participant Contributions

The forum featured a broad roster of experts, including:

  • Ronnie Khanna (NITI Aayog)
  • Prakash Garg (National Solar Energy Federation of India)
  • Nidhi Sarin (Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet)
  • Dr Ritu Mathur (TERI)
  • Prof. Bhim Singh (IIT Delhi & Netaji Subhas University of Technology)
  • Prof. V. K. Jain (Amity University)
  • Dr R. K. Tyagi (Power Foundation of India)
  • Manika Malhotra Jain (Policy Perspectives Foundation)
  • Manoj Kumar Upadhyay (NITI Aayog)
  • Dr Kavita Singh (TERI School of Advanced Studies)
  • Rashi Singh (Council on Energy, Environment and Water)
  • Mohit Kumar Gupta (Grid Controller of India Limited)
  • Shubhashis Dey (Solutions for Sustainable Living – SoSuL LLP)
  • Srishti Ahuja (EY)
  • Arushi Relan (CEEW)

These participants underscored the importance of coordinated investment, regulatory certainty and the translation of policy into actionable projects.

Conclusions and Call to Action

The dialogue concluded with a collective call for sustained engagement among policymakers, industry stakeholders, financial institutions, technology experts and research organisations to address the interconnected challenges of India’s energy transition. Emphasis was placed on building a dialogue platform that can identify opportunities, channel public capital efficiently and accelerate the deployment of renewable energy, particularly wind, alongside solar.

About the Organisers

  • Policy Perspectives Foundation is an independent public‑policy think‑tank that conducts research, community outreach, capacity building and advocacy for inclusive, sustainable development. It is directed by Sh. P. C. Haldar, former Director of the Intelligence Bureau, Government of India.
  • Orange Circle Energy focuses on accelerating India’s shift to clean, affordable and reliable solar power, offering rooftop and utility‑scale solutions across residential, commercial, industrial and utility sectors, and working closely with partners to meet energy, financial and operational goals.

Disclaimer

The press release is provided under an arrangement with PRNewswire. PTI assumes no editorial responsibility for the content.