India, ISA ink agreement for solar projects in four Indo-Pacific countries

MEA and ISA sign agreement for solar projects in Fiji, Comoros, Madagascar, and Seychelles to enhance energy access.

A Project Implementation Agreement has been signed between the Ministry of External Affairs and the International Solar Alliance (ISA) to execute new solar projects in Fiji, Comoros, Madagascar and Seychelles, an official statement said.

The agreement was signed on Tuesday (November 26, 2024), the statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

The Wilmington Declaration released at the Quad Leaders' Summit in Delaware in the U.S. on September 21 stated that the Quad countries will work together, through policy and public finance, to operationalise their commitment to catalyse complementary and high-standard private sector investment in allied and partner clean energy supply chains, it said.

"To this end, India has committed to invest USD 2 million in new solar projects in Fiji, Comoros, Madagascar and Seychelles," it added.

On November 26, the Project Implementation Agreement (PIA) was signed between the MEA and the ISA to execute the projects in these Indo-Pacific countries.

The ISA, as the Project Implementing Agency, would provide programmatic assistance to Comoros, Fiji, Madagascar and Seychelles with financial support from India, according to the statement.

According to a study undertaken by the ISA, the countries under consideration for solar projects have energy issues related to perishability of agricultural products, unreliable electricity supply in health centres and for irrigation purposes in remote areas where grid power supply or solar mini-grids are not available yet, the MEA said.