At the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Platform Leadership Session, held on the sidelines of CoP30 in Belém, Brazil, India highlighted the unique vulnerabilities of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and called for United global action on energy security.

About the Event

• It brought together Ministers and senior representatives from Small Island Developing States (SIDS), member nations of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), and partner organisations to advance collective actions for energy security, affordability, and resilience.
• Theme: ‘Uniting Islands, Inspiring Action – Leadership for Energy Security’. 
• India participated to present scalable models, share experience, and reinforce support for SIDS through the International Solar Alliance.

About SIDS

• Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are a group of island nations that share similar social, economic, and environmental challenges.
• Shared Development Challenges: SIDS comprise a set of countries and territories that, despite being geographically diverse, experience similar hurdles in development such as limited resources, fragile economies, and high exposure to environmental pressures.
• Not Exclusively Islands: While the group is mostly made up of island nations, a few mainland states like Belize, Guyana, and Suriname are part of the SIDS grouping because they demonstrate the same vulnerabilities and development constraints.
• Examples of SIDS: Members span different parts of the world and include countries such as Maldives, Seychelles, Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Suriname, Mauritius, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Guyana, and Singapore, among others.
• Geographical Clusters: SIDS are distributed across three major regions:
  (1) The Caribbean
  (2) The Pacific
  (3) The Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and South China Sea (AIS) region
• International Recognition: The unique developmental and environmental challenges faced by SIDS were formally acknowledged as a “special case” during the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), placing them on the global agenda for tailored support.

Challenges Faced by SIDS

• Fossil Fuel Import Dependence: SIDS rely heavily on imported diesel for electricity, making energy extremely expensive and volatile.
  • For Example: Kiribati uses diesel generators for ~85 % of its electricity supply, owing to remoteness and fuel-shipping costs.
• Climate Impacts: Extreme weather frequently disrupts power systems, damaging grids and causing prolonged outages.
  • Example: In the aftermath of tropical storms and hurricanes, power grids in Caribbean nations such as the Bahamas often face extensive damage, leaving residents without electricity for weeks.
• Freshwater Crisis: Climate change and sea-level rise are likely to threaten freshwater resources through saltwater intrusion within freshwater aquifers. 
  • For Example: Bahamas is almost entirely dependent on groundwater.
• Infrastructure Constraints: Limited land, small grids, and underdeveloped storage systems make transition difficult without external support.
  • For Example: Many Pacific Island nations, such as Tonga, face challenges in expanding their energy infrastructure due to small land areas and inadequate technical capacity.
• Financial Hurdles: High capital costs, limited access to concessional finance, and lack of bankable project pipelines slow renewable adoption.
  • For Example: Nations like Maldives struggle to secure financing for renewable energy projects due to a lack of financial infrastructure and limited access to international funds.

International Solar Alliance (ISA) Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Platform

• The ISA SIDS Platform is a joint initiative by the International Solar Alliance and the World Bank, designed to accelerate solar deployment and energy transition in Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
• It functions as a digital‑and‑financial ecosystem, offering services like aggregated procurement, standardized tendering, blended finance solutions, and capacity‑building tailored for island nations.
• Focus areas include:
• • Standardised procurement: Reduces prices, avoids fragmented contracting, and accelerates installation timelines.
  • Blended finance options: Combines grants, low-interest loans, and private investment to make solar affordable.
  • Digital project management systems: Helps track progress, improve transparency, and streamline deployment.
  • Capacity building: Trains local workforce to operate and maintain solar systems, reducing external dependency.
  • Simplified access to technology: Ensures SIDS get high-quality solar products without delays or inflated costs.
    

India’s Clean Energy Achievements 

• 500+ GW installed capacity, crossing a major national milestone.
  
• India has achieved 50% non-fossil energy capacity, five years ahead of its NDC target.
• Global Positioning: India is now the 4th largest renewable energy producer and the 3rd largest in solar power globally.
• These achievements were credited to clear political vision, ambitious targets, scaled programmes, and grassroots participation.

Solar Models from India Shared with SIDS

• Rooftop Solar (PM Surya Ghar)
  • Objective: Under the PM Surya Ghar scheme, India aims to promote rooftop solar installations for households, ensuring energy independence and contributing to the nation’s renewable energy goals.
  • Target: The initiative targets 10 million rooftops across the country by 2030, with a focus on enhancing solar energy accessibility for urban and rural households
  • More than 20 lakh households have installed rooftop systems, reducing or eliminating electricity bills.
  • The Minister presented a story of a schoolteacher whose financial security improved after installing rooftop solar,  illustrating the programme’s real-world impact.
  • Rooftop solar is positioned as household-level energy independence, enabling families to generate their own clean power and even earn from surplus energy.
• Solar for Agriculture
  • Objective: The Solar for Agriculture initiative focuses on providing solar-powered irrigation and pumpsets to farmers, particularly in remote rural areas, to reduce their dependence on diesel and grid electricity.
  • Benefits: This scheme helps farmers with cost-effective irrigation solutions and promotes clean energy in agricultural practices.
  • Implementation: The initiative is part of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme, which supports the installation of solar pumps for irrigation and the generation of solar power for agriculture
  • Benefits include:
    • Zero diesel usage,
    • Predictable irrigation schedules,
    • Lower input costs,
    • Reduced stress due to reliable clean energy.
  • The model demonstrates how solar strengthens rural livelihoods and enhances agricultural productivity.
• Rural and Tribal Electrification (PM JANMAN)
  • Objective: The PM JANMAN (Pradhan Mantri Janata Aur Naxal Mukt Electrification) aims to provide electricity access to underserved rural and tribal areas, especially in the naxal-affected regions.
  • Scope: This initiative focuses on solar power-based mini grids, solar street lighting, and off-grid electrification solutions for remote communities with limited access to the national grid.
• Solar + Battery Mega Projects
  • Objective: Solar + Battery Mega Projects are large-scale ventures to combine solar energy generation with energy storage solutions (using batteries) to ensure 24/7 electricity supply, even when the sun is not shining.
  • Implementation: These projects are part of the government’s push to scale up grid stability, renewable energy integration, and the transition to clean energy.
  • Example: the upcoming Ladakh solar-battery project, designed to store enough energy to power an entire city at night.
  • This model is especially valuable for SIDS that lack storage capacity and currently rely on diesel for nighttime power.

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India’s Call for Shared Global Action

• India’s Advocacy: India concluded with a call for shared global action, urging countries to adopt solar energy as a path to climate resilience and socio-economic security.
• Enhancing Climate Resilience: India emphasized that climate resilient systems are not only a climate priority but also a socio-economic priority, ensuring that renewable energy is accessible, affordable, and sustainable.

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