The panel discussion featured Santosh Kumar Sarangi (IAS: 1994: OD), Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Dr Philipp Ackermann, Ambassador of Germany to India and Bhutan, Vaishali Nigam Sinha, Co-founder and Chairperson of Sustainability, ReNew and Aparna Roy, Fellow and Lead, Climate Change and Energy, Observer Research Foundation (ORF) The discussion was moderated by Shreya Jai, Energy Lead, Climate Trends.

Secretary, MNRE highlighted India’s remarkable Renewable Energy journey over the past decade, which has positioned the country as one of the global leaders. He attributed this progress to a robust and enabling policy ecosystem comprising Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO)/ Renewable Consumption Obligation (RCO), Standard Bidding Guidelines for tariff based competitive bidding process for procurement of Power from Grid Connected Solar, Wind, Wind-Solar Hybrid and Firm & Dispatchable Renewable Energy, permitting up to 100 per cent Foreign Direct Investment under the automatic route, targeted measures to strengthen domestic manufacturing through initiatives such as the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme and the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM),etc.

Highlighting the strategic importance of the National Green Hydrogen Mission, he noted its potential to reduce India’s dependence on imported fossil fuels, while creating new opportunities for industrial decarbonisation and energy security. Looking ahead, he emphasized that grid modernisation, accurate forecasting and scheduling, circular economy approaches for clean energy technologies, and enhanced mobilisation of climate finance will be critical for building a resilient, secure and future-ready renewable energy ecosystem.

Ambassador Dr Philipp Ackermann highlighted that India and Germany share a vital, common aspiration to achieve energy security, particularly in light of today's complex geopolitical landscape. He emphasized that true self-reliance can be unlocked through strong bilateral partnerships, noting that India's massive scale and dynamic private sector offer immense opportunities to deepen relations. Furthermore, the Ambassador reflected on how India's ongoing energy transition journey can provide valuable lessons and serve as a model of global best practices for other nations charting their own paths toward sustainability.