India Joins International Energy Agency As Association Country
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India officially joined the International Energy Agency as an Association country on Thursday, solidifying and expanding its partnership with the world’s leading clean energy organization and providing the IEA with a deeper link to help India become a secure and sustainable energy producing country.
As the world’s third-largest economy, India has already been working hard to elevate the role of renewable energy technologies like solar and onshore wind in its electricity grid. India has been actively trying to minimize the use of coal in its energy generation, and reports from Indian newspapers earlier this year suggested coal imports are declining. On the flipside, India’s solar capacity crossed the 10 gigawatts (GW) mark earlier this year.
The announcement that India would join the International Energy Agency (IEA) as an Association country was made on Thursday in New Delhi during a joint press conference between Dr Fatih Birol, the IEA’s Executive Director; Mr Piyush Goyal, Minister of State, with Independent Charge for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy and Mines; and Mr Dhamendra Pradhan, Minister of State, with Independent Charge for Petroleum and Natural Gas. The new institutional ties between the IEA and India will serve to support the IEA’s global outreach — especially considering the sheer volume of work India is doing to decrease its emissions and increase its level of low-carbon technology and energy generation. Further, with increased population growth and economic activity, India is expecting to see its energy demand more than double over the next 25 years, creating lots of opportunities and room to grow for technologies like wind and solar.
“We can’t talk about the future of the global energy markets without talking with India,” said Dr Birol. “This is a major milestone in the development of global energy governance, and another major step toward the IEA becoming a truly global energy organization, strengthening ties with the key energy players that make up the IEA family.”
“This is a landmark day in terms of India’s engagement in global energy markets,” said Minister Goyal. “IEA Association will help India plan better and serve the needs of Indians better, ensuring energy security for days and years to come.”
“IEA has helped in promoting understanding of India’s interests and concerns as the third-largest consumer of energy,” Minister Pradhan added. “I am confident that Association status for India will bring mutual benefit for both IEA and India.”
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