Union Minister of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy Shripad Yesso Naik held a bilateral meeting with Singapore's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Energy and Trade and Industry Gan Siow Huang on 28 October 2026, on the sidelines of the Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) 2026, to advance energy cooperation under the India-Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. A key agenda item was the proposed cross-border electricity interconnection between the two nations, according to an official statement.

Key Areas of Cooperation Discussed

Minister Naik formally invited long-term Singaporean investment across India's energy infrastructure, specifically in transmission networks, pumped storage, battery storage, and renewable energy projects. Discussions also covered cooperation in green hydrogen and ammonia, energy efficiency, and potential partnerships between Indian power equipment manufacturers and Singapore's utilities — signalling a broad and commercially oriented agenda beyond the diplomatic tier.

India-Bhutan Energy Progress

On the sidelines of the same event, Naik met Bhutan's Minister for Energy and Natural Resources Lyonpo Sonam Tashi to review bilateral energy milestones. The two ministers noted steady progress on the 1,200 MW Punatsangchhu-I Hydroelectric Project, where dam construction has advanced since concreting resumed in April 2026, and acknowledged satisfactory operations of the 1,020 MW Punatsangchhu-II project. Discussions also covered additional projects under consideration with Indian entities and cross-border transmission planning up to 2040.

Meetings with IRENA and IEA Chiefs

Naik met Francesco La Camera, Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), to explore deeper cooperation under the Strategic Partnership Agreement, including affordable finance for renewable energy in developing economies, long-term energy planning, and green hydrogen capacity building across the ASEAN region.

He also met Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), and welcomed the forthcoming launch of the IEA's India Renewable Energy Market Report 2026 at the Bharat Renewable Energy Summit, alongside the India Critical Minerals Report at India Mining Week.

India's Renewable Energy Milestones

Addressing sessions at SIEW 2026, Naik highlighted that India's total installed electricity capacity stood at 558.9 GW as of 30 September 2026, with approximately 308 GW — or 55% — sourced from non-fossil fuels. Notably, India achieved the 50% non-fossil installed capacity milestone in June 2025, a full five years ahead of its 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) target, and is now targeting 500 GW of non-fossil capacity by 2030.

Under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, around 53 lakh rooftop solar systems have been installed, benefiting approximately 63 lakh households. Under PM-KUSUM, nearly 12 lakh standalone solar pumps have been installed and more than 17 lakh grid-connected agricultural pumps solarised, adding about 16.7 GW of decentralised renewable capacity and benefiting around 30 lakh farmers.

With cross-border interconnection talks gaining traction and Singapore's investment interest confirmed at the ministerial level, India's energy diplomacy in Southeast Asia is entering a more concrete phase.