India offers $500 billion investment opportunities in clean energy, other sectors by 2030

India offers huge investment opportunities worth over $500 billion, particularly in clean energy value chain including renewables, green hydrogen and EV, by 2030, the commerce ministry said on Thursday.

This was stated by Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal, who is in Singapore for the two-day meet of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) Clean Economy Investor Forum.

The meeting, which started on Wednesday, brought together the region's top investors, clean economy companies, and start-ups to mobilise investments into sustainable infrastructure, climate technology, and renewable energy projects.

The 14-member IPEF bloc was launched jointly by the US and other partner countries of the Indo-Pacific region on May 23, 2022, in Tokyo. Together, they account for 40 per cent of the world's economic output and 28 per cent of trade.

The framework is structured around four pillars relating to trade, supply chains, clean economy and fair economy. 

India has joined all the pillars except the trade.

Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, the US, and Vietnam are members of the bloc.

Barthwal, during the inaugural IPEF Clean Economy Investor Forum, acknowledged the forum as a unique platform that brought global investors, policy makers, and academia under one roof, which would be instrumental in advancing sustainable infrastructure in the Indo-Pacific Region.

The secretary while addressing the forum underlined the huge investment opportunities that "India offers of more than $500 billion, particularly in the clean energy value chain including renewables, green hydrogen and EV and its infrastructure transition, by 2030".

Barthwal also highlighted key reforms around ease of doing business in India to improve business environment over the last decade.

During the two-day event, more than 300 participants from financial institutions, multilateral development banks, venture capital funds, project owners, entrepreneurs and government agencies from IPEF partners actively participated under the sustainable infrastructure and climate tech engagement tracks.

In the sustainable infrastructure track, after the screening, "four companies (ReNew Power, Avaada Energy Pvt Ltd, Indusbridge Capital Advisors LLP. Founder, SEIP, and Powerica Ltd) from India were shortlisted for pitching their concepts on energy transition, transport and logistics, and waste management/waste to energy to global investors," the ministry said.

Similarly in the climate tech track, 10 Indian startups and companies (BluSmart, Recykal, LOHUM, Sea6 Energy, EVage Ventures, Kabira Mobility, Batx Energies, Newtrace and Alt Mobility, igrenEnergi, Inc.) were selected to pitch their innovative ideas, technologies and solutions that contribute to mitigating or adapting to climate change.

Further, the ministry said that the forum resulted in $23 billion investment opportunities for sustainable infrastructure projects in the Indo-Pacific.

The coalition estimates that its members, taken together, have over $25 billion in capital that can be deployed in Indo-Pacific emerging market infrastructure investments in the coming years.

DFC's (Development Finance Corporation) Board has also approved an equity investment as part of the $900 million Eversource Climate Investment Partners-II fund, which will provide capital, management, and expertise to innovative companies using new and existing capabilities to address climate change in India and Southeast Asia.

It added that the IPEF partners and the Private Infrastructure Development Group announced the operational launch of the IPEF Catalytic Capital Fund, which would deploy concessional financing, technical assistance, and capacity-building support to expand the pipeline of quality, resilient, and inclusive clean economy infrastructure projects in emerging and upper-middle income economies, for instance, projects in development include a renewable energy platform in India.

The fund's founding supporters include Australia, Japan, Korea, and the US, which plan to provide $33 million in initial grant to catalyse up to $3.3 billion in private investment.

"A coalition of investors, including Singapore's Temasek and GIC, have committed to injecting $25 billion in infrastructure investments in emerging markets that are part of an economic alliance between the US and several Asia-Pacific countries," it added.

The event also witnessed signing of an offtake agreement between Sembcorp Green Hydrogen India, Kyushu Electric and Sojitz for production and export of 200 KTPA (kilotonne per annum) green ammonia from India to Japan.

The programme was attended by ministers from Singapore and Japan and Barthwal.

The agreement aims to increase production and export of 200 KTPA green ammonia in Phase-I (total 800 KTPA in 4 phases) at Tuticorin Port in India and export to Japan.

The project proposed above would further the objective of the National Green Hydrogen Mission implemented by India towards making the country as global hub for production and export of green hydrogen and its derivatives.

During an interaction with Indian companies and startups, Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce and India's Chief Negotiator for IPEF Rajesh Agrawal said the forum provides an opportunity for Indian companies and startups to seek funding and collaborate with global investors.