International Solar Alliance
The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is a treaty-based intergovernmental organization, launched in 2015 by India and France, with the aim of mobilizing investments and driving the deployment of solar energy, especially in “sunshine countries”.
Detailed Overview:
Purpose: To enable energy access, promote energy security, and trigger energy transition among member nations through enhanced deployment of solar energy technologies.
“Towards 1000” Strategy: The ISA aims to mobilize $1 trillion in solar investments by 2030, while delivering energy access to 1 billion people and installing 1000 gigawatts (GW) of solar energy capacity.
• Membership: The ISA is open to all UN member states.
Action-Oriented: The ISA is a working platform for member countries to exchange information, build strategies, and promote partnerships towards solar energy development.
•Founding Partners: France and India jointly came up with the idea of ISA on the periphery of COP21 at Paris in 2015.
•Intergovernmental Organization: The ISA is a treaty-based international intergovernmental organization.
•Sunshine Countries focus: The alliance targets nations that fall between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, countries which get an adequate amount of sunlight.
•Capacity Building: The ISA assists member states in developing capacity for solar energy technology through training and knowledge exchange.
•Investment and Finance: The ISA intends to lower the cost of generating solar power through solar finance aggregation, solar technology, innovation, research, and development.
•EU Joint Declaration: The European Union is an associate organization to the ISA, and 11 EU members have signed and/or ratified the ISA framework agreement.
•Director General: Dr. Ajay Mathur was Director General from 2021-2025.
Key Initiatives and Milestones:
World Solar Facility (GSF):
The ISA has launched pilot projects under its World Solar Facility (GSF).
Publications:
The ISA has pioneered various reports on solar PV manufacturing, recycling, energy trends, supply chain, and Green Hydrogen.
South Asia Forum for Distributed Energy (SAFDE):
The ISA participated in the 4th biennial South Asia Forum for Distributed Energy (SAFDE 2025) held in New Delhi in April 2025.
India’s Presidency:
India has been elected as the president of the International Solar Alliance for the 2024-2026 term.
Armenia’s Full Membership:
The Republic of Armenia officially became the 104th full member of the International Solar Alliance in November 2024.
Sixth Assembly:
The Sixth Assembly of the International Solar Alliance was held in New Delhi in October 2023.
Seventh Assembly:
The seventh International Solar Alliance Conference was inaugurated in New Delhi in November 2024.