Experts discussed four priorities for power sector
Experts have brainstormed about the future of electricity in India – the gap between future electricity requirements and the infrastructure, investment and regulatory frameworks needed to meet them.
They noted electricity planning faces a growing challenge: anticipating how demand will evolve while ensuring transmission infrastructure can deliver power reliably and affordably.
These in-depth discussions were held at RE: DIALOGUES 2026: Powering a Developed India, convened by Policy Perspectives Foundation (PPF) and Orange Circle Energy (OCE) in New Delhi on 14 October.
The dialogue examined four interconnected priorities for the power sector: electricity demand, transmission and distribution infrastructure, regulatory stability, and the economics of power generation. A central theme emerging from the discussions was the need to look beyond generation capacity and address the infrastructure, planning and investment required to deliver electricity reliably and affordably as India’s economy grows.
The dialogue featured Bhupinder Bhalla, former Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, as Chief Guest. Speaking about the energy and power ecosystem, he said, “India’s energy transition must be viewed in the wider context of its development priorities. Beyond expanding generation capacity, we need to strengthen domestic manufacturing, advance technology, mobilise investment and create jobs while safeguarding energy security. This calls for a coordinated approach to planning and implementation, with the Centre and states working together to address infrastructure and regulatory challenges.”
In his opening presentation, Nikesh Sinha, Founder, Orange Circle Energy, used international per-capita electricity consumption benchmarks to explore the potential scale of India’s future power requirements. The discussions highlighted the time needed to build transmission infrastructure, alongside right-of-way constraints, transformer availability and the distance between renewable energy generation centres and consumption hubs.
Sinha continued, “India’s power-sector planning needs to look beyond how much electricity we can generate to how much the country will need, where that demand will emerge, and how reliably it can be delivered. Transmission infrastructure takes time to build, and generation and consumption centres are not always in the same locations. Anticipating these requirements and aligning transmission planning with generation, while also considering decentralised solutions, will be critical to meeting India’s future electricity needs.”
The discussions highlighted that India’s energy transition will depend not only on expanding generation capacity but also on deploying domestic capital effectively, strengthening electricity distribution and translating policy into implementation. Looking ahead, wind energy was identified as a potential area of significant growth alongside solar and other renewable sources, reinforcing the need for coordinated investment, infrastructure development and power-system planning to support India’s evolving energy mix.
Safi Ahsan Rizvi, former Advisor to the National Disaster Management Authority (Policy Perspectives Foundation), pointed out, “India needs to look beyond creating new funding mechanisms and examine how existing public resources can be strategically channelled towards national priorities such as renewable energy and disaster resilience. Even a small reallocation of resources, supported by the right institutional frameworks, can help unlock investment at scale. Building a dialogue between government and industry is critical to identifying these opportunities and translating public capital into meaningful outcomes.”
Discussions also brought together Ronnie Khanna, NITI Aayog; Prakash Garg, National Solar Energy Federation of India; Nidhi Sarin, Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet; Dr Ritu Mathur, TERI; Professor Bhim Singh, IIT Delhi and Netaji Subhas University of Technology; Professor V. K. Jain, Amity University; Dr R. K. Tyagi, Power Foundation of India; Manika Malhotra Jain, Policy Perspectives Foundation; Manoj Kumar Upadhyay, NITI Aayog; Dr Kavita Singh, TERI School of Advanced Studies; Rashi Singh, Council on Energy, Environment and Water; Mohit Kumar Gupta, Grid Controller of India Limited; Safi Ahsan Rizvi, former Advisor to the National Disaster Management Authority; Shubhashis Dey, Solutions for Sustainable Living (SoSuL LLP); Srishti Ahuja, EY; and Arushi Relan, CEEW.
RE: DIALOGUES 2026 concluded with a call for continued engagement among policymakers, industry stakeholders, financial institutions, technology experts and research organisations to address the interconnected challenges of India’s energy transition.
Policy Perspectives Foundation is an independent public policy think tank working through research, community outreach, capacity building and policy advocacy to promote inclusive and sustainable development. The Foundation is directed by P. C. Haldar, former Director of the Intelligence Bureau.
Orange Circle Energy is committed to accelerating India’s transition to clean, affordable and reliable solar energy. With expertise spanning rooftop installations and utility-scale solar projects, the company delivers tailored solar solutions across residential, commercial, industrial and utility sectors. Combining engineering expertise with a client-centric approach, Orange Circle Energy works closely with its partners to address their energy goals, financial considerations and operational requirements. Fiinews.com
