Sunny Days for India-Italy ties: Rome joins ISA

In a boost to global clean energy drive, Italy, Europe’s third largest economy and sun-blessed nation, has become the newest country to join the India-led International Solar Alliance. In New Delhi, Italian Ambassador to India Vincenzo da Luca signed the ISA Framework Agreement on March 17. The envoy signed the document in the presence of P. Harish, Additional Secretary (Economic Relations) in India’s Ministry of External Affairs, who received it on behalf of the Indian government. “Italy enters the International Solar Alliance in the year of the Italian Presidency of G20 and co-Presidency of COP26,” tweeted the Italian envoy.  Italy will host the G20 summit of major economies in 2021. “The energy transition towards clean sources and low-emission energy systems is a priority on which we record fundamental convergences with our partners also in the main multilateral fora such as the G20, the IEA and the International Renewable Energy Alliance (IRENA),” the Italian envoy told India Writes Network shortly after the signing ceremony. “We hope that ISA will maximize fruitful synergies with the main international energy organizations”, said the ambassador. “We have enhanced the bilateral partnership focused on green economy, energy transition and innovation in the last bilateral Digital Summit held on November 6, 2020,” he said. Italy has reached 20.9 GW of solar capacity. The nation’s National Integrated Plan for Climate and Energy aims for 50 GW by 2030. The multi-faceted India-Italy partnership will be galvanised during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the European country for the G20 summit later this year. Enhancing collaboration in clean energy and renewables figured prominently in the November 6 digital summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Italian counterpart Giuseppe Conte. Italy’s joining of ISA signals Rome’s support for India’s multilateral initiatives. Italy is a founding member of India-led Coalition of Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI). “We share vision with the Indian government concerning a new, more effective and inclusive multilateralism, based on the UN system,” said the Italian envoy at a webinar organised by India Writes Network and India and the World magazine. The International Solar Alliance (ISA) of sunshine-rich countries was launched jointly by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his French counterpart Francois Hollande at the COP21 Climate Conference in Paris on November 30, 2015. Mr Modi has invited all countries located fully or partly between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn to join the International Solar Alliance. Till this date, ninety countries have signed the ISA Framework Agreement, including many European countries such as UK, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland and Luxembourg.