Plenary Session: Accelerating the Energy Transition for India’s green growth pathways

Accelerating the Energy Transition for India’s Green Growth Pathways

For India and the Global South, the climate transition cannot be framed as a choice between growth and sustainability. India’s transition challenge is unique: a substantial portion of its future emitting infrastructure has yet to be built or deployed. This presents a critical window of opportunity. If current investment trends shift now, India can adopt a range of new energy and mobility technologies before becoming locked into a high-emitting energy system.

There is a further central opportunity to mitigate future emissions. India’s development trajectory will likely feature a broader balance between industrial and service sectors earlier in its development compared with other nations. By leveraging the efficiencies offered by electrification, renewable energy, and digitalization, India could achieve a higher GDP per capita with significantly lower energy consumption than developed economies. Beyond emission management, this shift offers wide-ranging economic benefits, creating new sources of growth and competitive advantage while weaning India off its dependence on imported oil, which currently accounts for over 80% of its demand.

Ambition in Action

India has demonstrated remarkable ambition and performance in expanding its renewable energy capacity. In just 15 years, the country has seen an outstanding transformation—increasing its renewable capacity nearly 30-fold, from less than 7 GW to over 200 GW today. Recognized as one of the world’s fastest-growing renewable energy markets, India’s continued transition will depend on robust international finance, advanced technologies, and enhanced collaboration between domestic and global investors.

TERI’s Role: Knowledge and Collaboration

TERI’s work exemplifies this collaborative spirit through initiatives like the Industry Charter for Near Zero Emissions Ambition by 2050, which enables industries to voluntarily commit to decarbonization. Charter signatories serve as sectoral exemplars, paving the way for broader industry participation in India’s net-zero journey.

To further this mission, TERI has established the Institute of Energy Transition (IoET) in Hyderabad. The IoET is envisioned as a world-class knowledge hub fostering research and capacity building across industry, academia, and society. In collaboration with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Ministry of Power, Government of India, TERI has also launched its first Centre of Excellence at the IoET Hyderabad campus. This Centre supports BEE in conducting cutting-edge research on net-zero solutions, providing technical assistance for energy efficiency projects, and supporting the development of policies that drive the energy transition.

The Hyderabad Policy Conclave 2026

The 2026 edition of the Hyderabad Policy Conclave, themed The Indian ERA, is hosted by the School of Public Policy and Governance (SPPG), TISS Hyderabad. As the National Knowledge Partner, TERI is proud to collaborate with TISS to bring thought leaders and business executives onto a common platform.

As part of the Conclave, TERI will host a plenary session titled “Accelerating the Energy Transition for India’s Green Growth Pathways.” This session will address the urgency for transformative leadership, explore innovative business models for India’s net-zero vision, and foster solutions through public-private-academia cooperation.