Bharat Electricity Summit charts roadmap for future-ready power sector
The maiden edition of the Bharat Electricity Summit (BES) concluded on Sunday with strong global participation, actionable outcomes, and a clear roadmap for building a resilient and future-ready power sector. The summit brought together policymakers, industry leaders, global experts, investors and innovators, reinforcing India’s growing influence in the global energy ecosystem.
The three-day event witnessed participation from over 35,000 exhibition attendees, 28 states and Union Territories, more than 200 companies including over 80 startups, and featured 300-plus speakers across 100 conference sessions. Union Power Minister Manohar Lal, in his valedictory address, said the summit saw unprecedented engagement despite being its first edition, with startups playing a key role in driving innovation. He reiterated India’s push towards achieving 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030, noting that the country has already crossed the 50 per cent mark. Emphasising global cooperation, he highlighted the “One Sun, One World, One Grid” vision and stressed the importance of renewable energy expansion.
Highlighting sectoral priorities, the minister underscored the need to strengthen DISCOMs through reforms such as smart metering and cost-reflective tariffs. He also announced that the next edition of the summit will be held in 2028 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Minister of State for Power Shripad Naik said India’s power sector is advancing through coordinated efforts between the Centre and states, with reforms gaining momentum and renewable integration becoming more system-driven. Power Secretary Pankaj Agarwal pointed to an estimated ₹32,000 crore capital expenditure pipeline and stressed scaling up energy storage capacity to support renewable growth.
The summit outlined key trends shaping the sector, including a total installed capacity of over 520 GW and rapid growth in renewable energy, particularly solar, which has expanded from 2.8 GW in 2014 to over 143 GW. Electricity demand is expected to rise by more than 30 per cent by 2030, driven by emerging sectors such as AI-enabled data centres and electric mobility. Officials also highlighted the need to expand transmission infrastructure, with over 1.37 lakh circuit km of lines required by 2030 and investments of around ₹9 lakh crore.
Discussions at the summit covered a wide range of themes, including green hydrogen, AI-driven power systems, nuclear energy, energy storage, and financing mechanisms. The launch of the Indian Carbon Market Portal was also announced, with trading expected to begin soon. Digital transformation emerged as a key focus, with increasing use of artificial intelligence, machine learning and smart metering to improve grid efficiency and empower consumers.
The summit also saw strong international engagement, including bilateral discussions with countries such as Malawi, Tajikistan, Mauritius, Kyrgyzstan and Russia, focusing on renewable energy collaboration, cross-border electricity trade and capacity building. Over 1,200 buyer-seller meetings were held, generating business enquiries worth more than ₹517 crore.
The Bharat Electricity Summit 2026 concluded with a strong emphasis on accelerating India’s energy transition while ensuring affordability, reliability and sustainability, positioning the country as a key driver in the global clean energy landscape.
