A Unified Policy Architecture for India’s Energy Future

UPSC Syllabus: Gs Paper 3- Infrastructure

Introduction

India has made significant progress in expanding energy access through near-universal household electrification, wider clean cooking fuel coverage and rapid growth in renewable energy. As energy demand rises and the energy mix becomes more diverse, the next phase of the transition requires better coordination across different fuels, technologies and institutions. A unified policy framework can support India’s goals of energy self-reliance by 2047, net-zero emissions by 2070, and long-term energy security, affordability and sustainability.

Why India Needs a Unified Energy Policy Framework

1. Growing Energy Demand: India’s energy demand will continue to rise with economic development, industrialisation and urbanisation. This will increase pressure on the country’s energy system.
2. Dependence on Energy Imports: Although domestic energy production is expanding, India still depends on imports for a significant share of its oil and natural gas requirements. This creates long-term energy security concerns.
3. Complex Energy System: India’s energy system now includes conventional fuels, renewable energy and emerging technologies. Managing such a diverse system requires better planning across different sectors.
4. Balancing Multiple Priorities: India has to ensure energy security, affordability, sustainability and economic growthat the same time. These objectives need to be pursued together instead of separately.
5. Long-Term National Goals: Achieving energy self-reliance by 2047 and net-zero emissions by 2070 requires an integrated approach to energy planning and governance.

Existing Progress in India’s Energy Sector

1. Improved Energy Access: India has achieved near-universal household electrification and expanded access to clean cooking fuel through initiatives such as the Saubhagya Scheme and Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. These programmes have strengthened energy access across the country.
2. Renewable Energy Expansion: Renewable energy installed capacity increased from about 40 GW in 2015 to nearly 260 GW by 2025. This reflects steady progress in diversifying India’s energy mix.
3. Growth in Solar and Wind Power: India crossed 157 GW of solar capacity and 56 GW of wind capacity. It also became the world’s fourth-largest clean electricity generator.
4. Expanding Electricity System: India became the third-largest producer and consumer of electricity with an installed capacity of 513.79 GW by December 2025. This reflects the rapid expansion of the country’s power sector.
5. Improving Energy Security: India has diversified its energy import sources and promoted coal gasification to reduce dependence on imported LPG. These efforts strengthen long-term energy security.
6. Modernising Energy Infrastructure: The country is integrating renewable energy through 13 GWh Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs). These technologies improve grid stability and support the integration of renewable power
7. Transition: Despite these achievements, the growing complexity of India’s energy system requires a more integrated approach to energy planning and governance. This creates the need for a common framework to guide the next phase of India’s energy transition.

The Proposed Unified Energy Framework

1.Unified National Planning:

• The framework proposed by the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) seeks to align different energy resources, technologies and institutions under a common national strategy.
• It promotes coordinated planning across the energy sector and is built around four mutually reinforcing pillars: Adequacy, Access, Affordability and Appropriate Sustainability.

2. Adequacy

• Reliable Energy Supply: The framework seeks to ensure a reliable and diversified energy supply by using a balanced mix of conventional and emerging energy sources.
• Modern Energy Infrastructure: It supports modern infrastructure, energy storage and digital technologies to strengthen energy resilience and reduce long-term vulnerabilities.

3. Access

• Universal and Equitable Services: Every citizen should have reliable and equitable access to energy services. The framework builds on India’s progress in electrification and clean cooking fuel.
• Better Service Delivery: It focuses on strengthening last-mile delivery, improving service quality and expanding decentralised energy solutions where suitable.

4. Affordability

• Affordable Energy Transition: The transition should remain economically viable for households, businesses and industries so that clean energy remains accessible to all.
• Inclusive Market Support: The framework encourages innovative financing mechanisms, efficient markets and consumer safeguards to support an inclusive energy transition.

5. Appropriate Sustainability

• Development-Oriented Sustainability: Sustainability should match India’s development priorities and resource endowments instead of following a uniform approach.
• People-Centred Transition: The framework supports local communities, workforce development and region-specific transition pathways to ensure that the transition benefits different parts of the country.

Key Enablers of the Energy Transition

1. Circular Economy and CCUS: Circular economy practices and Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS)can complement renewable energy and help reduce emissions from industrial sectors. These measures support cleaner production while improving resource efficiency.
2. Green Hydrogen and Emerging Technologies:

• The framework identifies green hydrogen as an important emerging technology for the next phase of the energy transition.
• Under the National Green Hydrogen Mission, India aims to produce 5 million metric tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2030, strengthening domestic clean energy production.

3. Energy Storage and Modern Infrastructure: A reliable energy system requires stronger infrastructure, energy storageand digital technologies. Battery Energy Storage Systems and Pumped Storage Projects can improve grid stability and support the large-scale integration of renewable energy.
4. Clean Energy Expansion: Coal, renewables, biomass, natural gas, waste-to-energy systems and other emerging clean technologies all have a role in India’s energy future. Better coordination among these energy sources can improve overall system efficiency and resilience.
5. Institutional Coordination: A successful transition requires institutions to work together over the long term. Coordinated planning across generation, transmission, storage and distribution can help different parts of the energy sector function as one integrated system.

Way Forward

1. Adopt a Phased Transition: The energy transition should follow a phased approach because such transformations take decades. Near-term priorities include strengthening infrastructure, accelerating renewable energy deployment and supporting emerging technologies.
2. Strengthen Long-Term Coordination: Institutional mechanisms should improve coordination among different energy resources and technologies. This can support better planning and reduce gaps across sectors.
3. Expand Low-Carbon Energy Systems: Over time, greater emphasis should be placed on low-carbon technologies, wider use of bio-resources and a more interconnected energy ecosystem. This will improve resilience while reducing emissions.
4. Support Future Energy Investments: India has announced a ₹9.15 lakh crore plan to strengthen power infrastructure and meet a projected demand of 458 GW by 2032.
5. Build a Future-Ready Energy Sector: Policy support such as 100% FDI in the power sector, expansion of off-grid solar electrification, the SHANTI Act for nuclear energy and the target of 100 GW nuclear capacity by 2047 can strengthen energy security while supporting long-term economic growth.

Conclusion

India’s energy transition now requires an integrated approach rather than separate policies for different energy sources. A unified policy framework can improve coordination across technologies and institutions while strengthening energy security, affordability and sustainability. With phased implementation and continued investment, it can support economic growth and help India achieve energy self-reliance by 2047 and net-zero emissions by 2070.

Question for practice:

Examine the need for a unified policy architecture to support India’s energy transition and achieve long-term energy security, affordability and sustainability.

Source: The Hindu