Modi Inaugurates Bharat Renewable Energy Summit as India Targets 500 GW Non-Fossil Capacity

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Bharat Renewable Energy Summit and Expo 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on the afternoon of 2 November. The four-day event, running until 5 November, carries the theme Invest. Innovate. Inspire. It brings together participants from more than 130 countries, including more than 40 ministers, along with investors, manufacturers, and policymakers.

Nine countries and the European Union are participating as Country Partners: Australia, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the EU. Thirteen Indian states and union territories are showcasing their renewable potential, investment opportunities, and manufacturing capacity. They are Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

India currently has 308 GW of installed non-fossil fuel capacity and is on track toward a 500 GW target by 2030, according to Ministry of New and Renewable Energy Secretary Santosh Sarangi. Reaching that target will require approximately $220 billion in investment between 2027 and 2030, along with faster deployment of energy storage, stronger transmission networks, and expanded domestic manufacturing. The summit is intended to connect global capital and technology with those requirements.

Solar power costs in India have fallen from roughly ₹8–10 per unit in 2014 to as low as ₹2.15 in recent auctions. The PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana has enabled more than 65 lakh households to install rooftop solar, with more than 21 lakh receiving zero electricity bills. The PM Kusum scheme continues to expand solar irrigation for farmers. These programmes form part of a broader shift in which households and farms become generators as well as consumers.

The expo includes national and international exhibitors of renewable technologies, a national hackathon, a renewable energy quiz, and the REGen Pavilion. Sessions will cover green hydrogen, energy storage, and grid integration. Officials expect announcements of new partnerships and investment commitments during the four days. Previous editions of similar events have produced memoranda of understanding for manufacturing facilities and project finance.

India's renewable expansion has already altered the power mix. Non-fossil sources now supply a growing share of peak demand, reducing the volume of coal that must be burned during daylight hours in many states. Storage and transmission remain the binding constraints. The summit's focus on investment and manufacturing is aimed at closing those gaps before the 2030 deadline. Success will be measured in the number of projects that move from announcement to financial close and in the volume of domestic manufacturing capacity added in the following 18 months.

Modi's address is expected to restate the 500 GW target and to invite further foreign participation in manufacturing and project development. The presence of ministers from partner countries indicates that the event is also a diplomatic platform for energy cooperation. The concrete outcomes will appear in the press notes and company announcements that follow the closing sessions on 5 November.