INTERNATIONAL SOLAR ALLIANCE: EFFORTS TO BECOME A GLOBAL GRID NODAL AGENGY
Number of partnerships were inked on 8 th September 2020 at the First World Technology Summit
hosted by the International Solar Alliance (ISA). ISA has been given the nodal agency mandate for
implementing India’s global electricity grid plan. It has also entered into a partnership with NTPC which
will help India’s largest power utility to commission solar projects in 47 least developed and small island
developed ISA member countries. The first of its kind treaty based international government
organization to be headquartered in India is a part of the One Sun One World One Grid project even as
China attempts to co-opt countries into its One Belt One Road initiative. As many as 86 countries have
signed the ISA framework agreement and 68 have ratified it. Germany has also expressed interest in
joining ISA.
India has announced lines of credit worth $1.4 billion for 27 solar projects across 15 countries that have
been conceived in 2018 and are under implementation. ISA will manage the bid process and the global
grid implementation plan, according to the partnership agreement inked between ISA, MNRE and the
World Bank. This will fulfill India’s dream of becoming an electricity exporter through the One Sun One
World One Grid initiative under the championship of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi who strongly
believes that this project will bring transformational benefits for the entire humanity under the
presidentship of ISA Shri R K Singh, India’s power and renewable energy minister. Another partnership
inked on this day is between ISA and Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) a Seoul-headquartered
agency for providing technical assistance in installing one million solar irrigation pumps in countries
which are electricity deficient. Both the countries have a common goal of supporting developing
countries to achieve green growth and sustainable development.
On this day ISA also signed a partnership agreement with the Paris headquartered International Institute
of Refrigeration for setting up solar heating and cooling demonstration projects in member countries.