India reiterates steadfast support for regional solar cooperation at ISA meet

Colombo, July 17 India, on Thursday, reiterated steadfast support for fostering regional solar cooperation at the seventh meeting of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Regional Committee for Asia and the Pacific in Sri Lanka's capital of Colombo.

The meeting affirmed ISA's role as a powerful convener for clean energy cooperation.

Santosh Jha, High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, reiterated India's steadfast support for ISA and the collaborative frameworks it offers.

"India's energy transition journey -- marked by achieving 50 per cent installed electricity capacity from non-fossil sources five years ahead of schedule -- demonstrates what collective ambition and decisive action can achieve," Jha said.

"The International Solar Alliance, born from a vision shared by India and France, has evolved into a powerful platform for advancing solar solutions, especially for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and developing economies," he added.

The meeting also marked a significant milestone with the signing of the Country Partnership Framework (CPF) between ISA and the Sri Lankan government.

Welcoming the move, Jha said: "As Sri Lanka charts its path toward achieving 70 per cent renewable energy by 2030, we take pride in our growing energy partnership. Through ISA, we have the opportunity to light up not just homes, but futures -- together, under the shared strength of the sun."

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya called for deeper regional collaboration, inclusive access to technology, and focused support for SIDS and lower-middle-income countries.

"We welcome ISA's efforts to expand the Global Solar Facility and urge a focused approach for SIDS and lower-middle-income countries in this region," she said.

"These countries face high costs, limited land, and grid constraints -- but also immense potential in decentralised solar and storage-based solutions. Sri Lanka supports ISA's four strategic pillars and is working to establish a STAR Centre in Colombo as a regional hub for solar training and research," Amarasuriya added.

The ISA is a global initiative launched in 2015 by India and France at the COP21 summit in Paris to promote solar energy.

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