New Delhi, June 18: India and Germany have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation in renewable energy and sustainable development, underscoring the critical role of clean energy in ensuring long-term energy security and economic resilience.
The commitment was reiterated during the tenth edition of the Indo-German Partnership for Green and Sustainable Development (GSDP) Conversation Series, organised in partnership with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) under the theme “Energy Security through Renewable Energies.”
The high-level discussion brought together government officials, industry leaders, think tanks, renewable energy experts and private-sector representatives to examine how India can accelerate its transition towards clean energy while reducing vulnerability to global fossil fuel price shocks.
Speaking at the event, German Ambassador to India and Bhutan, Dr. Philipp Ackermann, said renewable energy has emerged as an economic and strategic necessity in addition to being a climate imperative.
“India and Germany share a common challenge of reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels and increasing energy independence. Renewable energy offers a powerful combination of climate action, economic opportunity and energy security,” he said.
Highlighting the significance of the year, Ackermann noted that India and Germany are celebrating 75 years of diplomatic relations, with bilateral cooperation evolving from traditional development assistance into a broad-based partnership focused on climate action, sustainable development and resilient economic growth.
The two countries are currently collaborating across a range of sectors, including renewable energy deployment and manufacturing, battery storage, grid integration, energy efficiency, green urban mobility, biodiversity conservation, climate adaptation and vocational education.
Addressing the gathering, Santosh Kumar Sarangi, Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, stressed the importance of renewable energy in strengthening India’s energy security amid growing geopolitical uncertainties.
“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,” he said.
Sarangi noted that non-fossil fuel sources currently account for nearly 54 per cent of India’s installed electricity capacity, and reiterated the government’s commitment 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,” he added.
India has set ambitious climate and energy targets, including achieving 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030 and reaching net-zero emissions by 2070. Solar power, wind energy, battery storage and green hydrogen are expected to play a central role in reducing dependence on fossil fuels and supporting the country’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
Participants at the event emphasized the need to accelerate renewable energy deployment, strengthen grid infrastructure, expand energy storage capacity and enhance public-private partnerships to ensure reliable and affordable energy supplies.
The discussion also highlighted that India’s next phase of energy transition will require an integrated approach encompassing power generation, transmission, distribution, storage, financing, domestic manufacturing and electrification of energy-intensive sectors.
Germany remains one of India’s key partners in the clean energy transition. Through decades of development cooperation, the two countries have worked together on renewable energy expansion, power sector reforms, climate finance, green hydrogen, energy efficiency and skills development initiatives.
The event featured a distinguished panel including Dr. Philipp Ackermann, MNRE Secretary Santosh Kumar Sarangi, Vaishali Nigam Sinha, Co-founder and Chairperson of Sustainability at ReNew, and Aparna Roy, Fellow and Lead for Climate Change and Energy at Observer Research Foundation (ORF).
The Indo-German Partnership for Green and Sustainable Development, launched in 2022, serves as a strategic framework for advancing climate-friendly and sustainable development solutions aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement.
