What is the story about?
India is accelerating towards its green energy ambitions under PM Modi’s leadership. On the sidelines of World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos, Suzlon Vice
Chairman Girish Tanti in an exclusive interview with ET Now, explains how one major renewable target was achieved five years ahead of schedule. He breaks down India’s wind and solar capacity growth and what’s driving the momentum. Here’s why India’s clean energy story is entering a decisive phase.
India's goal of green transition
On green transition, Tanti said, "as a country, we have set ourselves a very bold goal. Kudos to our Prime Minister for being so articulate and driven in making this happen. There are very few countries with such ambitious plans for completing the green transition.""Within this framework, we have set a first review period for 2030, by which we aim to achieve two objectives. The first is that 50 per cent of our energy generation should come from renewable sources. The second is to achieve 500 GW of renewable energy capacity," he said, adding, "we are almost there on the first objective and are about five years ahead of schedule. Today, nearly 50% of our installed capacity already comes from green energy, which is encouraging."
"Looking at installations across wind and solar, solar capacity currently stands at around 130 GW, with close to 80 GW under implementation and bidding. This gives us visibility of roughly 230 GW, against a target of 300 GW by 2030. The same is true for wind. We have about 54 GW already installed, and with nearly 35 GW of projects under implementation and bidding, we have visibility of around 85 GW. Overall, for both wind and solar, our first review-period targets for 2030 appear to be largely on track," Tanti added.
India's progress
Talking about India's progress in energy sector, Tanti said, "the kind of work that has happened in India, especially in hybrid projects such as firm and dispatchable renewable (FDR) systems, which combine wind, solar and storage to deliver 24x7 clean power, is truly significant. India is among the leaders in this space.""We do not always need to look westward, or even toward the Far East. In the cleantech space, we can proudly say that India is in a significantly better position than many parts of the world and that is good news. At the same time, there are always opportunities to learn from global best practices," he added.
What to learn from other countries?
Tanti said, "in areas such as product innovation, developing capabilities ahead of the curve, creating our own intellectual property, and building next-generation technologies, there is substantial opportunity for growth. Today, India is in a very unique position. In an increasingly multipolar world, countries are looking for new partners and India fits in beautifully because of its characteristics and culture. It is a combination that many global partners find attractive.""We have a large domestic market, a young population, a strong English-speaking workforce and immense talent. With the youngest population in the world, all these factors work strongly in our favour. What we now need to do is identify a few critical industries and sectors where we can truly become part of the global value chain. Cleantech is one such area and within it, wind energy stands out. According to the latest reports from the Global Wind Energy Council, India has the capability to meet nearly 10 per cent of the world’s wind manufacturing requirements. This presents a strong case for becoming an export-driven country."
"We need to make clear choices -- select five or six sectors where we place our bets and then execute decisively. We must aim to lead globally in these areas and develop deep expertise. This will require strong collaboration and strategic alignment between the government and the private sector so that the world comes to depend on India for certain critical capabilities. Once we establish that level of credibility, we will gain far greater bargaining power on the global stage," Tanti added.
