About ISA

• Objective: A treaty-based intergovernmental organization that is an action-oriented, member-driven, collaborative platform for increased deployment of solar energy technologies.
• Genesis: Jointly launched by India and France in 2015 on the sidelines of COP-21 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Paris.
  • It was officially established in 2017, with the entry into force of the ISA Framework Agreement.
  • With the amendment of the Framework Agreement in 2020, all member states of the United Nations are eligible to join the ISA. 
• Key Strategy: Guided by the ‘Towards 1000’ strategy. Under it, ISA aims to
  • Mobilise USD 1,000 billion of investments in solar energy solutions by 2030
  • Delivering energy access to 1,000 million people 
  • Installation of 1,000 GW of solar energy capacity.
• Observer Status of UN: In 2021, the UN General Assembly conferred Observer Status to the ISA.
• HQ: Gurugram, India

Significance of ISA

• Ensuring Just energy transition through solar by facilitating technology transfer, mobilising finance, etc.
• ISA along with initiatives like Global Biofuels Alliance and Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure are mechanisms for India to assert its soft power.