INDIA
and Belgium have agreed to work on signing an MOU to enhance
cooperation in renewable energy. This was discussed at a bilateral
meeting between Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Minister for New and Renewable
Energy, Government of India and Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid of
Belgium. Princess Astrid is currently visiting India as head of the
Belgian Economic Mission to India. She is accompanied by Mr. Didier
Reynders, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs,
Foreign Trade and European Affairs and Mr. Kris Peeters, President of
the Region of Flanders and Flemish Minister for Economic, Foreign
Policy along with a large business delegation.
Dr.
Abdullah briefed the visiting delegation on the energy situation in
India and the rapid growth of the renewable energy sector in India. He
spoke of India's plans to add over 30 GW of renewable energy to its
energy mix in the next 5 years. He dwelt on the success of the wind
programme as well as the significant cost reductions in solar energy
through the Jawahar Lal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM). He also
highlighted India's conducive and investor friendly policy framework
for promoting renewable energy in a big way. Dr. Abdullah suggested
that India and Belgium had great potential for enhancing cooperation in
promoting renewable energy and offered to provide all possible
assistance for the purpose.
The Belgian delegation recognized India's considerable achievements and
strengths in renewable energy and noted that India had made large
strides in this field. The business delegation accompanying the
official delegation also made brief presentations on their activities
and reciprocated India's desire for enhanced energy cooperation between
the two countries.
After detailed discussions, the two sides agreed to start work on a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the field of Renewable Energy
between the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy of the Government of
India and the Government of Belgium in order to strengthen, promote and
develop renewable energy cooperation between the two countries on the
basis of equality and mutual benefit. Both countries also agreed to
explore possibilities of coordination in renewable energy through joint
Research and Development programmes of mutual interest.
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