India’s non-fossil power capacity has passed 300 GW, says Vice-President at energy summit

India's non-fossil power capacity has crossed 300 gigawatts, Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan said on 5 November, arguing that the country has shown that environmental goals do not have to slow economic growth.

He was speaking at the valedictory session of the Bharat Renewable Energy Summit & Expo 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Radhakrishnan said India reached 50 per cent of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil sources in 2025, five years ahead of its commitment, and that solar capacity has grown from less than 3 GW to over 170 GW in a decade.

The numbers he cited

• Solar for homes: over 65 lakh households have joined the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana.
• Solar for farmers: nearly 30 lakh farmers have benefited under PM-KUSUM, where solar pumps help them save on diesel and earn extra income.
• Remote areas: PM-JANMAN and the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan are bringing electricity to tribal areas where grid connections may not be feasible.

Recalling doubts about whether a developing country of India's size could grow fast while cutting its dependence on fossil fuels, Radhakrishnan said India "had answered these doubts through its achievements". He said solar power, once several times costlier than coal-based electricity, is now among the cheapest sources in India, crediting "sound policies, private enterprise and the collective efforts of States and citizens".

A people's movement

The Vice-President described the transition as a Jan Andolan, a mass movement, that cannot be driven by the government alone, and urged teachers, students, entrepreneurs and citizens to take part. Invoking Mission LiFE, he said a billion small individual actions can contribute as significantly to sustainability as a new power plant.

He said hydrogen energy is making encouraging progress and expressed confidence that advances in science and technology would make it more affordable. He called for stronger industry-academia collaboration: "The technologies of 2040 will come from the laboratories and start-ups of today."

Looking ahead

Radhakrishnan said the coming decade would be crucial for global climate goals, and noted that India's electricity demand could rise nearly seven-fold by 2070. He told participants to "turn discussions into projects, and projects into power", and added: "If the world is to be lit by the Sun, let it be lit by hands that work together."

At the session he also presented the Excellence in Renewable Energy Awards and PM Surya Ghar Awards to the best-performing States, government departments, vendors, brand owners and public sector banks.

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Source: official release by the Vice President's Secretariat, issued through the Press Information Bureau, Government of India (05 NOV 2026 2:43PM by PIB Delhi). Read the full official text: Vice-President addresses Valedictory Session of Bharat Renewable Energy Summit & Expo 2026 in New Delhi.