Program

Cross-country collaborations for building infrastructure are becoming common these days. While cross border oil and gas pipelines were till recently cited as the most striking examples of such collaboration, other sectors are increasingly being drawn into such partnerships. Ports, roads, railways, water supply systems and digital networks are some of the sectors where nations are evolving joint strategies for best results. While these collaborations provide synergies, they also create fresh challenges for project implementation across countries. It is important to draw upon such experiences to guide policy makers as well as investors in forging future cross-country partnerships.

There is a need amongst countries across the globe to collaborate to ensure that renewable energy is mainstreamed in the energy mix. An example of such collaboration would be the India based ‘International Solar Alliance’ (ISA), representing a coalition of solar resource rich countries, launched with the aim of using solar energy to meet energy requirements in a safe, convenient, affordable, equitable and sustainable manner. This alliance of 121 prospective nations, of which 61 countries have signed the ISA Framework Agreement and 33 countries have ratified it, aims to deploy over 1000 GW of solar energy and mobilize more than US$1000 billion of investments into solar power by 2030. ISA formally acquired the status of ‘International Organization’ in December 2017.

India–Bhutan partnership in the hydropower sector is another illustration of a successful and mutually beneficial collaboration where renewable energy is used for supplementing the energy requirements of a partner country. This partnership not only provides clean electricity to India but also generates export revenues for Bhutan. So far, the two countries have signed several agreements for joint development of hydropower projects. Projects that have been commissioned include 336 MW Chukha Hydropower Project, 1020 MW Tala Hydroelectric Project and 600 MW Kholongchu Hydroelectric Project¹.

India also plays a pivotal role in strengthening connectivity within the ambit of Heart of Asia (HoA). One such example is the 1,600 kilometer long Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline that will export nearly 33 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually from Turkmenistan to Afghanistan, Pakistan and India². The expected project cost is US$10 billion. It is expected that this project will not only help in supplementing energy needs of the countries involved but will also promote peace among them.

Host country: Forging Collaboration and Partnerships: Evolving Strategies and Collective Actions (June 25, 1130-1245), Godrej Theatre, NCPA

Objectives

Background

Speakers: