According to a recent report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), the expansion of renewable energy (RE) capacity over the past fifteen years has allowed India to save over $100 billion by avoiding expenditures on coal and natural gas imports.
With existing RE capacities of 300 GW, India has become the world's second fastest-growing renewable energy market, strengthening its energy security. Between March 2014 and September 2026, India added 168 GW of solar and 38 GW of wind capacity, while installed bioenergy capacity reached nearly 12 GW.
The IEA forecasts that by 2030, if international fuel prices remain around the average level of 2024–2025, the cumulative savings from coal and natural gas imports could reach $240 billion. The annual savings at that time are projected to be about $35 billion, which will exceed India's total expenditure on non-coking coal and natural gas imports in fiscal year 25.
The 'India Renewable Energy Market Report 2026' also showed that without the addition of solar photovoltaic, wind, and bioenergy capacities since 2010, India's coal imports in 2025 would have been approximately 110 million tons higher.
IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol noted that India's experience demonstrates how consistent policy can reduce renewable energy costs and attract investment, providing valuable lessons for other developing economies.
India achieved its goal of ensuring 50% of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuels in 2025, five years ahead of schedule. The IEA emphasized that this growth was not only due to large-scale projects but also to rooftop solar installations, corporate RE procurement, and the expansion of domestic production. Special attention was paid to the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana program to accelerate rooftop solar panel installation and PM-KUSUM to support solar-powered irrigation pumps and farm feeders.


