Shripad Yesso Naik, Union Minister of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy, delivered the inaugural address via All India Radio FM Rainbow Delhi for SolarFutures 2026: Next-Gen Solar India, being held at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, where he underscored the need for innovation, integration and inclusivity to drive the next phase of India’s clean energy transition. Addressing policymakers, industry leaders, researchers, startups, manufacturers and renewable energy professionals, he called for collaborative efforts to build a future-ready and globally competitive solar ecosystem.
Organised by Sustainability Karma in partnership with the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), an autonomous specialised institute under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India, the conference is themed “Powering a Future-Ready Solar India: From Local Innovation to Global Leadership.” The conference is supported by the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI), Indian Solar Manufacturers Association (ISMA), Skill Council for Green Jobs (SCGJ) and Atal Incubation Centre (AIC), IIT Delhi, with the Sustainability Karma Podcast on All India Radio as the media partner.
In his address, Naik said the conference marks an opportune moment to celebrate India’s remarkable solar energy journey and its contribution to the vision of Viksit Bharat. He noted that India’s emergence as a global renewable energy leader has been driven by visionary leadership, enabling policies, technological innovation and collective action.
Highlighting flagship initiatives such as PM Surya Ghar: MuftBijli Yojana and PM-KUSUM, the Minister said these programmes have democratised access to clean energy by empowering households, farmers and rural communities, while efforts to strengthen domestic manufacturing, modernise grid infrastructure and promote innovation are creating a robust foundation for sustained growth.
Emphasising that “We do not stop here. We begin here,” Naikcalled for greater focus on distributed renewable energy and consumer participation in the energy transition. He said rooftop solar integrated with energy storage and smart energy management systems will create a resilient, flexible and citizen-centric power system.
The Minister also stressed the importance of accelerating emerging technologies such as agrivoltaics, floating solar, energy storage systems, green hydrogen and smart grid solutions. Reaffirming the Government’s commitment to promoting investment, research, entrepreneurship and skill development, he urged manufacturers, developers, startups and researchers to collaborate in developing affordable, scalable and globally competitive clean energy solutions.
“As we move towards Viksit Bharat 2047, the solar sector will remain a cornerstone of India’s growth story,” Naik said, calling upon all stakeholders to work together to establish India as the renewable energy capital of the world. He concluded by expressing confidence that the deliberations at SolarFutures 2026 would help shape the future of solar energy in India and beyond, guided by the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.
