PM Modi addresses the first International Solar Festival Virtually

Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually addressed the first International Solar Festival, which was being held in New Delhi on 5 September 2024, from Singapore. Prime Minister Modi was on an official visit to Singapore on 4 and 5 September 2024.

Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister Modi said that during the past 10 years, the country's solar energy capacity has increased by 32 times, and India has set a target to achieve 500 gigawatts of non-fossil power capacity by 2030.

Who Organised the first International Solar Festival?

The International Solar Alliance organised the first International Solar Festival in New Delhi on September 5 and 6, 2024.

The festival aims to bring policymakers, industry leaders, and financial institutions together to promote the adoption of solar energy, provide financing facilities for solar adoption, develop new technologies, and boost the capacity of the International Solar Alliance member countries.

It aims to develop affordable, reliable, and sustainable solar energy globally.

International Solar Alliance 

The International Solar Alliance is an intergovernmental organisation that seeks to promote the use of solar energy worldwide and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. 

The International Solar Alliance was conceived during a 2015 meeting in Paris between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Francoise Hollande.

Paris was hosting the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

The first founding conference of the International Solar Alliance was held in New Delhi on 11 March 2018.

Members of the International Solar Alliance 

Earlier, only countries within the Tropic of Cancer to the Tropic of Capricorn zones were eligible to join the International Solar Alliance.

However, starting on 15 July 2020, any country that is a member of the United Nations can become a member of the International Solar Alliance.

At present, there are 100 member countries of the International Solar Alliance. South American country Paraguay was the 100th member country  to join the International Solar Alliance in June 2024,

Headquarters: Gurugram, Haryana