The International Solar Alliance has got off to a good start with impressive pledges of financial assistance by India ($1.4 billion) and France (€700 million). The multi-country agreement, mooted by India and first presented as an idea to the world jointly by India and France at the global climate talks of Paris in 2015, is meant to benefit 121 countries that lie between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. There will be collateral benefits flowing to India from all the activities planned by the ISA. For example, one of the programmes acquiring shape under the Alliance is bulk purchase of agricultural solar pumps — the idea is to aggregate demand and tender out for half a million pumps at one go, so that scale depresses prices. The tendering work is expected to be handled by the government-owned Energy Efficiency Services Ltd.

Clearly, India has grabbed the solar ball and is running with it. But having done so, it is now the country’s responsibility to lead the ISA by example. First, India can now not afford to go slow on solar installations on its own soil. New solar projects are coming up faster than before but not at the required rate. This is especially true of rooftop solar which hopelessly depends upon States’ willingness to fall in line. Even in large projects, there are ground reports of delays in setting up projects that were won on the promise of very low power prices, and that the performance of some projects already set up is nothing to write home about. Furthermore, initiatives which find an echo in the ISA, such as solar-powered agri pumps and mini grids, are moving at glacial speed in India. It would be silly if India does not get the work done within its borders but raises a blessing hand to the rest of the world. This is something policymakers need to keep in mind.

The ISA founding conference turned out to be a convenient occasion for France and India to meet for a private handshake. The two countries have sought to consolidate their bilateral ties but the joint statement is a hot air balloon. For instance, there is a reaffirmation of commitment to the 9.6 GW nuclear power plant at Jaitapur, but there is nothing in the statement or in the buzz around it to suggest that the project will ever see a spade striking the ground. The nub of the issue is that India wants a price for the reactors that will not make power costlier than ₹6.5 a kWhr, while France’s Areva (now EDF) wants more. Similarly, on the Rafale deal, the French push to get India to buy 36 more fighter jets failed to make an impression. This is not surprising given that we’re heading into an election year and when the original deal for 36 fighters has run into a political storm.