Indo-German Partnership for Green and Sustainable Development hosts 10th edition of GSDP Conversation Series
New Delhi, June 19
The Indo-German Partnership for Green and Sustainable Development hosted the tenth edition of the GSDP Conversation Series in partnership with the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy under the theme 'Energy Security through Renewable Energies'.
According to an official release, the high-level panel discussion brought together senior representatives from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, industry leaders, think tanks, private sector players and renewable energy experts to discuss how India can accelerate its renewable energy transition and to explore how renewable energy can strengthen the resilience of the Indian economy against fossil-fuel-related price shocks.
In his opening address, German Ambassador to India Dr Philipp Ackermann said, 'Renewable energy is no longer just a climate imperative but also an economic and strategic necessity. India and Germany share a common challenge of reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels and increasing energy independence. Renewables create a powerful "trinity" of climate action, economic opportunity, and energy security. India has made significant progress in renewable energy deployment, with renewable sources now contributing around 26% of electricity generation.
The GSDP partnership is particularly significant as India and Germany mark 75 years of diplomatic relations. India and Germany are celebrating 75 years of diplomatic relations. The longstanding bilateral development cooperation has evolved into a partnership addressing climate action and sustainable development for resilient economic growth,' the release stated.
Both countries are working closely on areas such as renewable energy (deployment and manufacturing, battery storage, grid integration),, energy efficiency and transition of the hard-to-abate sectors, green urban mobility, biodiversity, climate change mitigation and adaptation, sustainable urban development and vocational education.
Presenting India's renewable energy priorities, Santosh Kumar Sarangi, Secretary of MNRE, talked about the relevance of energy security and expectations from international cooperation.
He said, 'The recent crisis in West Asia has once again highlighted the critical importance of energy security. Renewable energy, including solar, wind, battery energy storage systems and green hydrogen, has immense potential to strengthen energy security while supporting sustainable development. India has made significant progress, with non-fossil fuel sources now accounting for approximately 54 per cent of the country's installed electricity capacity, and we remain firmly committed to achieving 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030. As trusted partners in the global energy transition, India and Germany can continue to work together to drive innovation, mobilise investment, and advance our shared goals of energy security, sustainable development and climate action.'
India has set an ambitious target of achieving 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2070. Solar, wind and energy storage are the key technologies that will play a crucial role in reducing dependence on fossil fuels and supporting India's transition towards a low-carbon economy, the release noted.
India's rapid economic growth and rising energy needs have made energy security one of the most critical pillars of national development. Ensuring reliable and affordable energy is essential for sustaining economic growth and achieving the vision of "Viksit Bharat" and achieving a USD 30 trillion GDP by 2047 for India.
During the discussion, the speakers underscored the need to scale up renewable energy, invest in energy storage and grid modernisation, and strengthen public-private collaboration to enhance energy security and support sustainable economic growth.
Renewable energy is now seen as a core pillar for decarbonisation in all sectors. The next phase of India's transition towards renewable energy will require encompassing generation, transmission, distribution, storage, financing, domestic manufacturing, localised energy solutions and electrification of energy-intensive sectors in an integrated manner, the release noted.
As per the NITI Aayog -Pathway to Net Zero, published in February 2026, "The real risk to Net Zero implementation is whether the system can absorb, transmit, finance, and reliably use that cleaner power at scale."
The esteemed panellists included Philipp Ackermann, German Ambassador to India and Bhutan, Santosh Kumar Sarangi, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India, Vaishali Nigam Sinha, Co-founder and Chairperson of Sustainability, ReNew and Aparna Roy, Fellow and Lead, Climate Change and Energy, ORF New Delhi.
Germany has been a long-standing partner in India's energy transition. Through Indo-German development cooperation, both countries have worked together on renewable energy expansion, power-sector reform, power transmission and distribution, energy storage, green hydrogen, energy efficiency, climate finance, and skills development, the release highlighted.
The Indo-German Partnership for Green and Sustainable Development (GSDP), launched in 2022, is a strategic cooperation framework supporting sustainable and climate-aligned development. The partnership advances solutions that contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals and the goals of the Paris Agreement.
— ANI
Reader Comments
India already at 26% renewable electricity generation is commendable. But what about the rural areas? We need decentralized solar microgrids, not just big solar parks. Germany's experience with community energy projects could really help us in villages where power cuts are still common.
Very positive step! The trinity of climate action, economic opportunity, and energy security is exactly what we need. But I hope this partnership also focuses on domestic manufacturing of solar panels and batteries. We cannot replace oil imports with Chinese solar imports. Make in India needs to be at the core of this transition.
As an energy professional, I'm impressed by India's progress. But 500 GW by 2030 will require massive investment in transmission lines and energy storage. The grid in many states is already struggling to handle variable renewable power. Need more focus on pumped hydro and battery storage alongside solar and wind.
Happy to see this collaboration, but we must not forget that coal still meets about 70% of our electricity needs. Transition must be just for the mining communities. Germany itself is struggling with coal phaseout. We need realistic timelines that don't leave behind thousands of workers in coal districts.
Excellent initiative! Germany has been a reliable partner for decades. The mention of vocational education and skills development is crucial—we need trained technicians to install and maintain solar panels and wind turbines across the country. Let's hope local youth in smaller towns benefit from this.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.