Amitabh Kant Proposes India's Shift from 'Petro State' to 'Electric State' with 1500 GW Renewables

Amidst the ongoing West Asia crisis and disruptions at the Strait of Hormuz, Kant on Monday argued that India must transform from a "Petro State" to an "Electric State" to secure its national sovereignty.

Addressing the CII Plenary Session on "Crafting the Future Energy Landscape: The Here & Now on Energy Transition," he underscored energy transition as both a climate and geopolitical imperative.

Looking ahead, Kant called for a sharp scale-up in India's clean energy ambition -- from the current 500 GW target to 1500 GW in the coming years. He stressed that India is "climatically blessed" with abundant renewable potential but warned that generation is often stranded due to inadequate transmission and evacuation infrastructure. Building robust grid capacity, he said, is now as critical as capacity addition itself.

The former G20 Sherpa outlined a multi-pronged roadmap for India's future energy ecosystem. This includes strengthening battery storage, critical mineral processing, offshore wind, decentralised solar and Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).

He also advocated faster nuclear reforms and greater private sector participation, alongside a phased exit from combustion-engine vehicles by 2032. Green hydrogen, he noted, presents a "major strategic opportunity," with India positioned to become one of the world's cheapest producers and exporters.

Moderating the session, Anil Sardana, Managing Director, Adani Energy Solutions Ltd & Adani Power Ltd, said transmission has emerged as a "critical bottleneck" despite India being power-surplus.

He listed priorities including import substitution, electrification of major consumption sectors, expansion of battery and pumped hydro storage, and strengthening the critical minerals ecosystem. Sardana said India must work collectively toward Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of achieving 100 GW of nuclear capacity by 2047.

Ambassador Sanjay Sudhir, Former Ambassador to the UAE, highlighted the UAE's successful diversification beyond oil, where hydrocarbons now contribute only 28% of GDP. He noted that the UAE is the only Gulf nation generating nuclear power and plans to double its capacity by 2030.

He urged India to expand its Strategic Petroleum Reserves, including LPG, while balancing energy security with renewable growth. India-UAE-US collaboration on SMRs, he said, is a promising avenue for cooperation.

Industry leaders echoed the need for grid readiness and storage. Sumant Sinha, Founder and CEO of Renew, said grid management has not kept pace with renewable capacity addition, limiting absorption of solar and wind power. He stressed the need for round-the-clock renewable energy, Firm & Dispatchable Renewable Energy (FDRE) projects, and large-scale battery deployment to ensure stability.

Vineet Mittal, Founder & Chairman of Avaada Group, called green energy "inflation-protected" and a "Sanjeevani Booti for India," noting that overdependence on imported fossil fuels in transportation remains a challenge. He advocated green methanol production through electrolysis and carbon capture as a way to cut import dependence.

The session underscored that energy independence is now central to India's economic security, with renewable scale-up and storage seen as key to powering Viksit Bharat by 2047.

- ANI