New Delhi: India strengthened its leadership in global energy cooperation by successfully hosting the 11th BRICS Energy Ministers’ Meeting in Gurugram, Haryana, under its BRICS Chairship 2026. Held under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”, the meeting brought together Energy Ministers, Vice Ministers and senior officials from BRICS member countries to discuss key global energy challenges and opportunities.
The meeting witnessed participation from leading international organisations, including the International Solar Alliance (ISA), the Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA) and the New Development Bank (NDB), highlighting the growing importance of multilateral cooperation in advancing global energy transition goals.
A major achievement of India’s BRICS Presidency was the launch of the BRICS Digital Centre of Excellence for Smart Grids and Energy Storage, established under the BRICS Energy Research Cooperation Platform (ERCP). The Centre is
expected to serve as a collaborative platform for knowledge sharing, capacity building, policy exchange and pilot projects among BRICS countries in the field of smart grids, energy storage and digital energy systems.
The meeting concluded with the adoption of the 11th BRICS Energy Ministers’ Joint Communique, which reflects the collective vision of BRICS nations on strengthening cooperation in energy security, sustainability, innovation, infrastructure resilience and capacity building.
Addressing the ministerial meeting, Manohar Lal, Union Minister of Power and Housing & Urban Affairs, highlighted India’s remarkable energy transformation over the past decade.
He said that India has emerged as the world’s third-largest producer and consumer of electricity, with installed power generation capacity reaching nearly 540 GW. Notably, more than 50 percent of the country’s installed capacity now comes from non-fossil fuel sources, underscoring India’s commitment to clean energy expansion.
The Minister highlighted the rapid growth of India’s solar sector, with installed solar capacity increasing from approximately 3 GW in 2014 to over 154 GW in 2026. He also emphasized the success of flagship initiatives such as PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, which is accelerating rooftop solar adoption and citizen participation in the clean energy transition.
India’s future energy ambitions were also outlined, including plans to achieve over 400 GWh of energy storage capacity by 2032 and 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047. The Minister also noted India’s achievement of 20 percent ethanol blending ahead of schedule and its leadership role in global initiatives such as the Global Biofuels Alliance and the International Solar Alliance.
