Mumbai, June 26 -- India and Germany reaffirmed their commitment to deepen cooperation in renewable energy, storage and green hydrogen to strengthen energy security and cut reliance on imported fossil fuels. The renewed focus emerged at the 10th edition of the Indo-German Partnership for Green and Sustainable Development (GSDP) Conversation Series, jointly hosted by GSDP and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) under the theme Energy Security through Renewable Energies. The event brought together policymakers, industry executives, think tanks and renewable energy experts to discuss the role of clean energy in shielding economies from fossil fuel price volatility and supporting long-term economic growth.
German ambassador Philipp Ackermann said that renewable energy had evolved beyond a climate imperative to become an economic and strategic necessity and that both countries face the challenge of reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels while enhancing energy independence. He noted that renewables form a trinity of climate action, economic opportunity and energy security. Delegates observed that bilateral collaboration has expanded across deployment, manufacturing, battery storage, grid integration, energy efficiency, green mobility and hard-to-abate industrial sectors.
MNRE secretary Santosh Kumar Sarangi highlighted the growing importance of energy security amid geopolitical uncertainties and said recent developments in West Asia had underscored vulnerabilities associated with fossil fuel dependence. He noted that non-fossil fuel sources now account for around 54 per cent of India's installed power generation capacity and reiterated the country's commitment to achieving 500 gigawatt (GW) of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030. The government's energy transition strategy is increasingly centred on scaling renewable generation, storage and transmission infrastructure to meet rising electricity demand while reducing import dependence. Officials reiterated a national target of reaching net-zero emissions by 2070.
Panellists emphasised accelerated deployment of renewables, greater investment in battery storage and grid modernisation, and stronger public-private collaboration to ensure reliable, affordable supplies. Experts said the next phase would require coordinated investments across generation, transmission, distribution, storage, financing and domestic manufacturing. Germany was cited as a key partner, offering technical cooperation, climate finance and skills development.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.