The Trump administration announced the withdrawal of the United States from 66 international organisations in a sweeping move that signals a significant retreat from multilateral diplomacy. The executive order, issued from the White House, identifies bodies deemed inconsistent with American interests or sovereignty. Among the organisations from which the US is withdrawing are the International Solar Alliance (ISA), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
The International Solar Alliance holds special significance for India as it was co-founded by India and France in 2015 during the Paris Climate Summit under the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President François Hollande. ISA had 126 Solar Alliance countries as of March 2026 and works to mobilise over USD 1 trillion in solar energy investment by 2030. The US withdrawal from ISA is seen as a direct blow to India's climate multilateralism and its leadership in the global south on clean energy.
India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) acknowledged the development and stated that New Delhi would continue to champion multilateral climate cooperation. Diplomatic observers note that the move could weaken funding pipelines for developing nations dependent on climate finance from US-backed multilateral bodies.
The withdrawals from UNFCCC and IPCC further undermine the Paris Agreement's framework, as the United States is the highest cumulative greenhouse gas emitter. IRENA, headquartered in Abu Dhabi, was a key platform for renewable energy data and policy coordination in which the US played an active role.
This development has significant implications for RPSC aspirants studying international relations, environmental governance, and India's foreign policy priorities. India will need to recalibrate its diplomatic strategy within these bodies to maintain momentum on climate goals without US support.