ISA inks pact to become global grid nodal agency

A slew of partnership agreements were inked on Tuesday at the first World Solar Technology Summit hosted by the International Solar Alliance (ISA). These include ISA being given the nodal agency mandate for implementing India’s global electricity grid plan.

Another partnership agreement signed by ISA was with state-run NTPC Ltd, which will help India’s largest power generation utility secure solar projects in 47 least developed and small island developing ISA member countries.

The first treaty-based international government organization headquartered in India has become a significant foreign policy tool for New Delhi even as China attempts to co-opt countries into its ambitious One Belt One Road initiative. As many as 86 countries have signed the ISA framework agreement and 68 have ratified it. Germany has also expressed an interest in joining ISA.