Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, 2 November 2026 revealed that more than 44,000 government buildings across India have been connected to solar energy, generating annual savings of approximately ₹700 crore. Speaking at the Bharat Renewable Energy Summit at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, Modi outlined the country's accelerating shift to clean power and reaffirmed the government's ambition to put every public institution on solar energy.

Key Announcements at the Summit

Addressing delegates at the summit, the Prime Minister said India has made significant strides in the renewable energy sector over the past 12 years, extending solar connectivity to industries, farms, and households. 'Over the last 12 years, we have worked to connect industries and farms with solar power. More than 44,000 government buildings across India are now connected to solar energy, generating annual savings of around Rs 700 crore,' he stated.

Modi said the government's ambition extends further — every government building, school, college, hospital, and street-lighting system is targeted to come under solar energy, representing a significant expansion of the country's clean energy infrastructure.

PM-KUSUM: 30 Lakh Farmers Benefiting

The Prime Minister also highlighted the progress of the PM-KUSUM scheme, under which more than 30 lakh farmers have been provided solar-powered irrigation facilities. 'Estimates suggest that each farmer can save around Rs 1 lakh annually by using solar pumps,' Modi said. This initiative positions solar energy not merely as a climate tool but as a direct income-support mechanism for India's agricultural sector — a constituency of over 14 crore farm households.

PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana: 65 Lakh Households Enrolled

Launched in February 2024 with a target of installing rooftop solar panels in 1 crore households, the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana has seen more than 65 lakh households enrol in the past 24–25 months, according to Modi. The scheme aims to reduce electricity bills for urban and semi-urban families while adding distributed generation capacity to the national grid. Notably, the scheme has covered roughly 65% of its stated target within two years — a pace that analysts have described as faster than earlier rooftop solar programmes.

Paris Agreement Target Achieved Five Years Early

In what the Prime Minister described as a landmark climate milestone, India achieved its Paris Agreement pledge of sourcing 50 per cent of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources in 2025 — five years ahead of schedule. 'Under the Paris Agreement, India also pledged to meet 50 per cent of its installed power capacity from non-fossil fuel sources. We achieved this target in 2025, five years ahead of schedule. Today, more than 50 per cent of India's installed power capacity comes from non-fossil fuel sources,' the Prime Minister stated.

This comes amid growing international pressure on major economies to accelerate decarbonisation commitments ahead of COP31. India's early achievement of the non-fossil target strengthens its diplomatic position as a developing nation that has delivered on its climate pledges without compromising on energy access expansion.

What Comes Next

The government's stated roadmap — covering schools, hospitals, colleges, and street lighting under solar — will require significant capex deployment and grid integration work at the distribution level. Industry bodies and clean energy advocates are expected to track the pace of implementation closely, particularly on the rooftop solar front, where the gap between installation targets and actual grid-connected capacity has historically been wide. The Bharat Renewable Energy Summit is expected to produce a set of policy recommendations that will inform the next phase of India's solar push.