International Solar Alliance

4.1 Founding and Structure

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) was jointly announced by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President François Hollande at Paris COP21 on 30 November 2015 — the same day the Paris Agreement negotiations were ongoing.

Key Features

• Framework Agreement signed November 2016 (became treaty)
• Initially restricted to countries "fully or partially within tropics"; amended in 2020 to include all UNFCCC member countries
• Headquarters: Gwal Pahari, Gurugram, Haryana, India — on the TERI School of Advanced Studies campus
• Status: First international intergovernmental organisation headquartered on Indian soil
• Members: 120 signatory countries (as of 2024) including USA, UK, France, Australia, and most African, Asian, and Pacific Island nations
• Director General: Ajay Mathur (as of 2023)

4.2 ISA's Mission and Goals

Vision: "Energy of the Sun for All"

Mission: To mobilise more than $1 trillion in investments by 2030 for massive solar deployment and to provide solar energy to all.

Quantitative Targets (ISA Framework, 2021 revision)

• 1,000 GW solar capacity globally by 2030
• $1 trillion solar investments by 2030
• Reduce cost of solar energy globally through aggregated demand

ISA Programmes

Programme	Focus
Solarise Health	Solar-powered health facilities in developing nations
Solarise Agriculture	Solar irrigation pumps, cold chains
Solarise Education	Solar in schools and educational institutions
ISA World Solar Bank	Mobilise $1 trillion; low-cost financing for solar projects
Solar Technology Application Resource Centre (STARC)	Technology demonstration and capacity building
OSOWOG (One Sun One World One Grid)	Transnational solar grid to share solar power across time zones

4.3 OSOWOG — One Sun One World One Grid

OSOWOG is India's ambitious concept (announced COP26 2021) of creating an interconnected global solar grid that transfers solar power across countries and time zones — "the Sun always shines somewhere."

Three Phases of OSOWOG

• Phase 1: Connect India–Middle East–South East Asia grid
• Phase 2: Expand to Africa and Europe
• Phase 3: Global grid

This is a joint effort between ISA, India, UK (as co-chair at COP26), and the World Bank.

Geopolitical Significance

OSOWOG positions India as a solar power hub given its geographic advantages. It creates energy interdependencies as an alternative to fossil fuel dependence, strengthening India's soft power in the Global South.

4.4 ISA's Significance for India and the World

For India

• Soft power: ISA HQ in India positions India as a climate leader of the Global South
• Energy security: ISA financing for Indian solar projects
• Industrial opportunity: India as major solar panel manufacturer (PLI scheme for solar modules); exports to ISA member countries
• G20 Presidency 2023 championed ISA's expansion

For Developing Countries

• Access to low-cost solar finance (World Solar Bank with $10 billion initial capital proposed)
• Technology transfer from developed solar markets (Germany, US, China)
• Reduced energy poverty — 1 billion+ people globally lack electricity access

India's Solar Progress (context for ISA)

• Installed solar: 90+ GW (2024–25) — target 280 GW solar by 2030
• Rajasthan leads India's solar: 18,000+ MW installed; Bhadla Solar Park (world's second largest at 2,245 MW) in Jodhpur district
• Solar generation costs in India: ₹2.50/unit — among world's cheapest

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