Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set India a fresh clean-energy challenge: add about 500 GW of non-fossil power capacity over the next 10 to 11 years. Speaking at the inauguration of the Bharat Renewable Energy Summit & Expo 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Monday, he also said investment opportunities in the sector could top Rs 20 lakh crore by the end of the decade.
"This target is somewhat difficult, but I have faith in the capability of my country," the Prime Minister said, framing clean power as the backbone of India's energy security.
Why the summit matters
The four-day event, themed "Invest. Innovate. Inspire.", brought together industry leaders, investors, start-ups and officials from India and abroad. It coincides with the Ninth Assembly of the International Solar Alliance and the Fourth Conference on Green Hydrogen, making New Delhi the centre of global clean-energy discussions this week.
The timing is significant. Modi said India's economy has kept growing strongly despite the West Asia crisis, which disrupted global energy supplies earlier this year. He argued that the domestic energy crunch could have been much worse had India not built up its renewable capacity over the past ten years. "The future of energy security lies in clean energy," he said.
Key numbers from the PM's speech
| New non-fossil capacity planned | About 500 GW in 10–11 years |
| Non-fossil capacity achieved so far | Nearly 300 GW, over 50% of installed capacity |
| Paris pledge (50% non-fossil) | Met in 2025, five years early |
| Investment in last decade | Over Rs 15 lakh crore (about USD 164 billion) |
| Expected opportunity by 2030 | Above Rs 20 lakh crore (about USD 220 billion) |
| Solar module manufacturing | From about 2 GW to over 200 GW in a decade |
| PM Surya Ghar households | Over 65 lakh, target 1 crore |
| Govt buildings on solar | Over 44,000, saving nearly Rs 700 crore a year |
| Green hydrogen target | 50 lakh tonnes by end of decade |
| Next phase of transmission | About Rs 2 lakh crore |
What it means for households and farmers
The most direct benefit for ordinary families is through the PM Surya Ghar rooftop solar scheme. The Prime Minister said more than 65 lakh households have joined so far, and that participating homes have seen their electricity bills fall by around 76%. The target is one crore homes.
For farmers, the PM-KUSUM scheme has provided solar irrigation to more than 30 lakh farmers. But Modi said it was time to go further. "We have to move beyond solar pumps," he said, pointing to wider use of solar power in agriculture and rural life.
He also urged that every government building, school, college, hospital and street-lighting system be connected to solar power. More than 44,000 government buildings already run on solar, saving close to Rs 700 crore a year.
Manufacturing and storage
One of the biggest shifts over the last decade has been in manufacturing. India's solar module capacity has grown from roughly 2 GW to more than 200 GW, with nearly 40 GW of solar cell capacity. The Prime Minister called for India to develop its own energy storage solutions and build more battery capacity, since stored power is essential to keep the grid stable as solar and wind grow.
Transmission is the other bottleneck. The government is targeting about Rs 2 lakh crore of investment in the next phase of transmission infrastructure, so that power from new solar and wind parks can actually reach cities and factories.
What it means for investors
Modi made a direct pitch to investors, citing India's political and policy stability. He said the renewable sector has drawn over Rs 15 lakh crore in the past decade, including around Rs 6 lakh crore in the two years since the 2024 RE-Invest summit. With Rs 20 lakh crore more in expected opportunities, solar, wind, storage, green hydrogen and grid companies are likely to remain in focus on the stock market.
On the global front, he highlighted a proposed USD 200 million Africa Solar Facility, signalling India's interest in leading clean-energy partnerships with developing countries through the International Solar Alliance.
What happens next
The summit continues for the rest of the week, with sessions on financing, storage, green hydrogen and grid upgrades. Companies typically use such events to announce investment commitments and supply deals, so more numbers may follow. The bigger test, though, will be execution: land, transmission, storage and financing will decide whether the 500 GW ambition turns into power on the grid.
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