New Delhi: Union Minister of Power and Housing & Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal, on Thursday inaugurated the four-day ‘Bharat Electricity Summit 2026’, a global conference-cum-exhibition for the power sector, being held from 19-22 March at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi under the patronage of the Ministry of Power.
The inaugural session was attended by Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy and Consumer Affairs; Shripad Naik, Minister of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy; Pankaj Agarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Power; and Ghanshyam Prasad, Chairperson of the Central Electricity Authority.
Addressing the gathering, Manohar Lal highlighted India’s major milestones, including achieving 50% cumulative non-fossil fuel-based electricity capacity under its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) nearly five years ahead of schedule, the rollout of the SHANTI Act 2025, and the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana. He noted the country’s transition from a power-deficit to a power-surplus nation and the rapid rise in solar capacity from 2.8 GW to over 143 GW.
The Minister emphasised that India’s power sector offers investment opportunities worth approximately 200 lakh crore over the next two decades. He also pointed to a 72% expansion in transmission infrastructure to over 5 lakh circuit kilometres and India’s readiness to meet peak demand beyond 270 GW, while positioning itself as a future global exporter of affordable energy.
Calling the summit a “Conference of Light”, he said it symbolises India’s resolve towards energy transformation, innovation, affordability, and global collaboration.
Pralhad Joshi stressed that while thermal power will continue to serve as the backbone, renewable energy remains the only sustainable long-term pathway. Shripad Naik highlighted that India’s installed power capacity has more than doubled since 2014, with significant public participation through rooftop solar initiatives. Pankaj Agarwal underlined that India now operates one of the world’s largest synchronised power grids, supported by smart metering and strong policy frameworks, positioning the sector as efficient, reliable, and investment-ready.
During the event, the Ministry of Power released key strategic documents, including the National Resource Adequacy Plan and a transmission roadmap to integrate over 900 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2035-36, involving an estimated investment of 7.93 lakh crore.
The summit will feature over 100 conference sessions, 300+ speakers, participants from more than 80 countries, over 500 exhibitors, and an expected footfall of 25,000 visitors, making it one of the largest global platforms in the electricity sector.
