New Delhi [India], December 18 : The International Solar Alliance (ISA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), and the Ministry of Power (MoP), Government of India, hosted an official pre-summit convening on the Global Artificial Intelligence (AI) Mission for Energy in New Delhi today.
This high-level dialogue served as a foundational event leading up to the AI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled in February. According to an ISA press release, the event focused on shifting from conceptual AI discussions to the deployment of concrete products and real-world applications. The initiative aims to integrate AI into energy infrastructure to improve efficiency and sustainability.
Ashish Khanna, Director General of the ISA, stated that the digitization of power systems is now essential due to the rapid expansion of solar energy. He noted, "As solar capacity continues to double globally and distributed renewable energy expands at an unprecedented pace, the digitisation of power distribution systems is no longer optionalit is fundamental."
Abhishek Singh, Secretary of MeitY, highlighted the potential for developing countries to lead in this space. He stated, "The Global AI Mission for Energy that is being conceptualised gives a big opportunity for the developing countries including India, building locally tested AI products for the energy sector." He added that these innovations could drive local startups and offer scalable solutions to the entire world.
Operational urgency remained a central theme throughout the discussions. Ghanshyam Prasad, Chairperson of the Central Electricity Authority, noted that large-scale deployment of rooftop solar requires advanced digital tools. He said, "Artificial intelligence and digital tools must therefore be deployed with clear, well-defined use cases, focused on real operational needs rather than pilots in isolation." He urged a move from experimentation to scalable implementation through collaboration between policymakers and innovators.
The dialogue also addressed the practical benefits of AI at the sub-national level. Arti Dogra, CMD of Jaipur Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd., explained how predictive asset management helps address localized losses. She noted, "AI-enabled feeder- and transformer-level energy accounting allowing us to identify highly localised technical and commercial losses and addressing them intelligently."
The recommendations from this convening will directly inform the initiatives and product suites planned for the upcoming AI Impact Summit 2026.
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