The ISA, co-founded by India, the UAE, and France in 2015, represents a significant stride towards harnessing solar energy
India’s commitment to sustainable energy transition and global climate action is at an all-time high; with India’s climate diplomacy emerging as a key element of its foreign policy. Its leadership in the International Solar Alliance (ISA) has submerged this essence further, into the global narrative.

The ISA, co-founded by India, the UAE, and France in 2015, represents a significant stride towards harnessing solar energy to address climate change and promote energy security. With the alliance aiming to mobilize over USD 1 trillion in investments by 2030, it initiated India’s support of the global shift towards renewable energy​.

The Sixth Assembly of the ISA in New Delhi in 2023 spotlighted India's role in pushing for increased viability gap funding for solar projects, enhancing the financial feasibility of solar energy deployment in developing nations. 

This was a turning point for India’s image both internationally and in its internal view of global engagement. 

India's climate diplomacy through the ISA extends beyond energy transition to embody a broader geopolitical and economic agenda. The alliance facilitates the country's engagement with other developing nations across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Pacific, leveraging solar energy as a means to foster economic development and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. 

How has India ensured its successful integration? By merging climate concern with foreign policy objectives. Soft power and strategic partnerships have evolved to represent the prime factors behind India’s enhanced influence on the global stage. 

Under the ISA's initiatives, India has taken a leading role in promoting solar energy through various programmes focusing on affordable finance, capacity building, and technological innovation. In agriculture, India has led projects such as the Solar Pumping Programme, which aims to install solar-powered water pumps across various African nations.

India has also contributed to the Solar Electrification of Health Centers project, where it successfully brought solar power to remote health centres in countries like Malawi.

India’s global visibility is garnered from its holistic approach. It acknowledged the significance of catering to educational progress by implementing solar powered schools in Uganda, improving educational access, quality and convenience of study. 

India's climate diplomacy, epitomized by its leadership in the International Solar Alliance, has transformed climate initiatives into a cornerstone of its foreign policy. With each developing framework, India aims to achieve substantial clime action marked by sustainable energy goals. The consequence which goes beyond positioning India as a key global climate negotiator, to building an environment-friendly chain of allies.