Eighth ISA Assembly Uniting Nations for a Global Solar Revolution

The Eighth Session of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Assembly, to be held from October 27–30, 2025, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, is set to bring the world together under one unifying vision — “One Sun, One World, One Grid.” The high-level global assembly will serve as a crucial prelude to COP30 in Brazil, aligning global priorities for scaling solar energy, unlocking transformative finance, building skill ecosystems, and enabling a just, inclusive, and sustainable energy transition.

Launched jointly by India and France during COP21 in Paris (2015), the ISA has become the largest treaty-based intergovernmental organization headquartered in the Global South, with 124 Member and Signatory Countries. The Eighth Assembly underscores ISA’s pivotal role in championing solar energy as the cornerstone of global climate action and development.

Curtain-Raiser Highlights: India Leads by Example

At the curtain-raiser event, Shri Pralhad Joshi, Minister of New and Renewable Energy and President of the ISA Assembly, reaffirmed India’s leadership in the global renewable transition, highlighting the nation’s achievement of its renewable targets five years ahead of schedule.

“Owing to its clear vision and consistent policies, India has crossed the 50% mark in installed electricity capacity from non-fossil sources. With 125 GW of solar capacity, we are now the world’s third-largest solar producer,” Shri Joshi stated.

He emphasized that India’s success is not just statistical but human-centered, reflecting the power of decentralized solar solutions in transforming lives across rural India.

“We have seen how solar power brings light to remote homes, powers local health centres, and supports our farmers. Through PM Surya Ghar – Muft Bijli Yojana, more than 20 lakh households are already benefiting from solar energy,” he added.

From Farms to Homes: Powering the Last Mile

Highlighting India’s inclusive approach, the Minister noted that the PM-KUSUM scheme is driving renewable adoption in the heartland by targeting:

• 10 GW of small solar power plants,

• 1.4 million off-grid solar pumps, and

• 3.5 million grid-connected agricultural pumps.

These initiatives collectively strengthen India’s rural economy, ensuring that clean energy access becomes both an economic enabler and a social equalizer.

“It is this combination of scale and inclusiveness that defines India’s energy transition,” Shri Joshi said, emphasizing that India’s clean energy story is a model for both developed and developing nations.

India’s Expanding Renewable and Manufacturing Capabilities

Shri Santosh Kumar Sarangi, Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), underlined India’s emergence as a global renewable powerhouse:

“India is now the third-largest country in solar capacity, fourth-largest in wind power, and third in total renewable installations. In solar module manufacturing, we are second only to China.”

He highlighted India’s strides in green hydrogen production, projecting the country’s capability to manufacture five million tonnes of green hydrogen by 2031—a key step toward achieving energy independence and export competitiveness.

Shri Sarangi lauded ISA’s role as a platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration, particularly in Africa and the Asia-Pacific. He noted that India stands ready to partner with countries to replicate its household and farm-level solar models, citing the success of PM Surya Ghar – Muft Bijli Yojana and PM-KUSUM.

A Decisive Decade for the Global South

Mr. Ashish Khanna, Director General, International Solar Alliance, described the coming years as “the decade of decisive action” for renewable energy.

“Global renewable energy is at an inflection point. It took oil 25 years to reach 1,000 GW, but renewables doubled that in just two years. For the first time, renewable generation has surpassed fossil fuel generation,” he said.

He stressed that the Global South now stands at the helm of this transformation, with ISA emerging as a platform for aggregation, innovation, and delivery.

“The next decade must be defined not by ambition, but by action—moving from dialogue to delivery, and from potential to measurable impact. Solar must become the foundation of a sustainable and inclusive global economy,” Mr. Khanna said.

ISA’s Vision: From Commitments to Concrete Action

Recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision from the first ISA Assembly in 2018, Mr. Khanna reaffirmed ISA’s mission to accelerate deployment through:

• Aggregation of demand and investment,

• Harmonisation of technology standards,

• Data-driven energy planning,

• Capacity building and innovation, and

• Advancing the One Sun, One World, One Grid (OSOWOG) initiative.

He announced that the upcoming Global Capability Centre (GCC) will transform India into the “Silicon Valley for Solar,” supporting technical assistance, digital tools, and workforce training through STAR-C hubs across ISA’s member countries.

Four Strategic Pillars of the Eighth ISA Assembly

The 2025 ISA Assembly will focus on four strategic pillars to translate global commitments into concrete action:

1. Catalytic Finance Hub: Scaling up access to solar finance through the Africa Solar Facility, mobilising investment for developing nations.

2. Global Capability Centre & Digitisation: Launching digital platforms and training hubs to support member countries with advanced solar analytics, AI-driven grid management, and skill-building.

3. Regional & Country-Level Engagement: Strengthening cooperation through initiatives like the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Platform, supporting clean energy access through financing, technology, and capacity partnerships.

4. Technology Roadmap & Policy: Developing frameworks for floating solar, AI integration, green hydrogen, and solar in agriculture, while harmonizing standards and testing protocols to accelerate adoption globally.

Key Reports to be Released

The Assembly will also witness the launch of ISA’s two flagship reports:

• Ease of Doing Solar 2025 – evaluating policy, financing, and investment environments across member nations.

• Solar Trends 2025 – mapping global solar deployment, innovation pathways, and sustainability outcomes.

These reports are expected to serve as vital references for governments, financiers, and industries driving the next phase of renewable energy expansion.

Global Consultations Build Momentum Ahead of Assembly

Leading up to the Assembly, ISA convened Regional Committee Meetings across four continents—

• Europe & Others (Brussels, June 10–12)

• Asia-Pacific (Colombo, July 15–17)

• Latin America & the Caribbean (Santiago, August 4–6)

• Africa (Accra, September 2–4)

These meetings, attended by representatives from over 100 countries, reviewed progress and developed recommendations on catalytic finance, innovation partnerships, and solarisation for energy access, which will shape the Assembly’s agenda and outcomes.

Toward a Solar-Powered Future

As the world’s energy transition accelerates, the Eighth ISA Assembly 2025 aims to reaffirm global solidarity in combating climate change and driving clean energy access. By uniting governments, industries, and communities under a common purpose, the Assembly will reinforce the message that the sun is the most democratic source of power—available to all, shared by all, and essential for humanity’s sustainable future.

“ISA is no longer just a vision—it is a movement,” said Mr. Khanna. “A movement to ensure that every nation, big or small, has an equal place under the sun.”