India’s Union Minister of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy represented the country at the 20th East Asia Summit Energy Ministers’ Meeting in Manila on 8 October 2026. The minister emphasised India’s commitment to regional energy cooperation and security while outlining the country’s significant progress in renewable energy generation and proposing new frameworks for cross-border electricity trade with Southeast Asian nations.
Key facts
- India’s total installed electricity generation capacity: 558.8 GW as of 30 September 2026
- Non-fossil fuel capacity: 308 GW, representing 55 per cent of total installed capacity
- PM Surya Ghar rooftop solar installations: 5.01 million as of 29 September 2026, benefiting 5.95 million households
- India achieved 50 per cent non-fossil generation capacity in June 2025, five years ahead of its 2030 target
- Proposed India-Singapore cross-border power interconnection: 2,000 MW capacity
- Proposed land transmission corridor: approximately 3,000 km from Imphal to Singapore via Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia
- India to train 400 professionals on grid connectivity for ASEAN Power Grid initiative
India’s renewable energy milestone
India has made rapid strides in expanding non-fossil fuel energy sources. The country’s non-fossil capacity now accounts for more than half of its total installed electricity generation capacity, a target originally scheduled for 2030 but achieved five years early in June 2025. This progress reflects India’s commitment to transitioning towards a cleaner energy mix and meeting its climate commitments under the Paris Agreement.
The PM Surya Ghar scheme, which promotes rooftop solar installations across residential properties, has emerged as a major driver of this expansion. With over five million installations benefiting nearly six million households, the scheme demonstrates India’s focus on distributed renewable energy generation at the household level.
Regional power interconnection proposals
India has proposed a significant cross-border electricity trading arrangement with Singapore. The 2,000 MW interconnection would enable reliable power trade across the region and support integration of renewable energy sources. One proposed route involves establishing a 3,000 km land-based transmission corridor running from Imphal in India through Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia to Singapore. Such cross-border infrastructure would strengthen regional energy security and enable participating countries to balance their electricity demand and supply more effectively.
ASEAN cooperation framework
India has welcomed the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation covering 2026 to 2030 and committed to working under the parallel ASEAN India Plan of Action for the same period. Key areas of cooperation include the ASEAN Power Grid initiative, regional power transmission development, multilateral power trade, clean energy expansion and energy security enhancement.
As part of this commitment, India has announced it will train 400 professionals from ASEAN member states on grid connectivity and operations, supporting the technical capacity required for effective regional power grid integration.
Knowledge and technology sharing
India has offered to share its expertise in large-scale renewable energy deployment, grid integration, transmission system planning, energy storage technology and green hydrogen production with East Asia Summit countries. The country has proposed strengthening institutional linkages between ASEAN’s Centre for Energy and Indian organisations including NTPC, POWERGRID, Central Electricity Authority, National Institute of Wind Energy, National Institute of Solar Energy and National Power Training Institute.
India has also expressed interest in cooperation on emerging energy areas such as carbon capture and storage technology, carbon credit trading frameworks, battery energy storage systems and strategic petroleum reserves management.
What this means for you
For Indian households and businesses, these regional developments reinforce the government’s commitment to expanding clean energy access. Continued progress in schemes like PM Surya Ghar may create additional opportunities for residential solar installations. Cross-border power trade could eventually contribute to more stable electricity prices and supply in India by enabling exchange with regional partners. Professionals working in power transmission, grid management and renewable energy sectors may find new employment and training opportunities through India’s engagement with ASEAN institutions.
What happens next
India will continue working with ASEAN partners to operationalise the Enhanced Memorandum of Understanding on the ASEAN Power Grid and develop multilateral power trading arrangements. The country will proceed with detailed technical feasibility studies for the proposed India-Singapore cross-border interconnection and commence training programmes for ASEAN professionals on grid connectivity standards and operations.