India, US explore tech exchange to upgrade grid transmission

New Delhi: India and the US have discussed and explored the possibility of technical exchanges on efforts to upgrade grid transmission to handle future load growth during a ministerial-level deliberations. Discussions also covered policy consultations and potential financial support to advance these modernization efforts, a power ministry statement said. In a bid to enhance bilateral cooperation in the energy sector, Union Minister for Power Manohar Lal, accompanied by Minister of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy Shripad Naik and senior officials held a productive discussion with the US delegation led by John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy, it stated.

During the discussion, Lal emphasized the longstanding bilateral partnership between India and the US, highlighting the shared commitment to a ‘clean' energy future that fosters economic growth and development. The union minister further stated that Ministry of Power is committed to strengthening this partnership. He also said India and US engagements under the ‘Power & Energy Efficiency Pillar', which is led by Ministry of Power under the Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (SCEP), are important to realize the goals to achieve energy transition. Podesta, in his remarks said that India is a valuable partner and both the countries support each other in building resilient supply chains and investment led partnership strategy.

He also remarked that India and the US can collaborate on areas like clean energy, energy storage systems and energy efficiency. He further said that the US can support India in enhancing its manufacturing capacity. The ministers discussed about the opportunities to build India's manufacturing capacity in critical areas. The talks also delved into the possibilities of state-to-state partnerships on long-duration energy storage studies, with further collaboration on grid-scale battery storage solutions. The discussions also highlighted the importance of stimulating manufacturing projects and policies to increase India's capacity to build, deploy, and export high-efficiency air conditioning systems and fans. The meeting underscored the importance of the India-US partnership in driving the global clean energy transition, with both sides expressing their commitment to deepening cooperation in these critical areas, it said.