India has registered its highest-ever annual addition of non-fossil fuel-based power capacity, touching 31.25 GW in FY 2025–26, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi announced at the Global Energy Leaders’ Summit (GELS) 2025 in Puri, Odisha. Of this, solar power alone accounted for 24.28 GW, reaffirming India’s ascent as a global clean energy leader.
Addressing the gathering, the Minister noted that India is now one of the strongest drivers of the worldwide renewable energy surge. He highlighted that while the world required seven decades to build its first terawatt of renewable capacity, it added the next terawatt in just two years-between 2022 and 2024.
India played a major role in this acceleration, contributing 46 GW of solar capacity during the period and emerging as the third-largest contributor globally. Over the past 11 years, India’s solar capacity has risen from a mere 2.8 GW to nearly 130 GW, marking an extraordinary growth of more than 4,500%.
Despite possessing the world’s fifth-largest coal reserves and being the second-largest consumer of coal, India is steadily advancing its energy transition. Joshi said the country is now striking a balanced path between coal and renewables, especially as global market mechanisms increasingly tie industrial competitiveness to clean energy adoption.
Odisha Scales Up Clean Energy Ambitions
The Minister also unveiled a major initiative for Odisha-approval of a Utility-Led Aggregation (ULA) model under the PM Surya Ghar scheme. The project will facilitate installation of 1.5 lakh rooftop solar units of 1 kW each, aimed primarily at supporting economically weaker households. This effort is expected to benefit an estimated 7–8 lakh people across the state.
Odisha, he noted, is rapidly advancing in renewable energy uptake. With over 3.1 GW of installed renewable capacity, clean energy now forms more than 34% of the state’s total power generation capacity. Under the PM Surya Ghar Yojana, 1.6 lakh households in Odisha have already applied for rooftop solar systems, with more than 23,000 installations completed and over 19,200 families receiving subsidies amounting to Rs 147 crore directly into their bank accounts.
Joshi credited India’s renewable energy momentum to an enabling ecosystem shaped under Prime Minister Narendra Modi-marked by simplified processes, investor trust, strong infrastructure, demand-oriented programmes and robust Centre–State cooperation. He expressed confidence that Odisha is poised for significant clean energy progress in the coming years, praising the leadership of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo.
GELS 2025: A Platform for Global Energy Collaboration
The Global Energy Leaders’ Summit 2025 in Puri is being held from December 5–7, bringing together Union and State ministers, global experts, innovators and industry leaders. The summit aims to establish a dynamic Community of Practice to accelerate India’s clean energy transition and shape future strategies for the global energy landscape.