India, France lock into green embrace

PARIS: Clean and Green is set to be the new mantra of the emerging India-France partnership in sustainable development. Ahead of the Paris global climate change summit, French President Francois Hollande announced 2 billion euro investment by French companies to promote green technologies in India and signed two pacts with Asia’s leading oil-dependent economy in areas of energy efficiency.

Unveiling the 2 billion euro green push by France, Mr Hollande said, with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his side, that France needs India’s support to make the climate summit successful to be hosted by Paris in December this year.

“We are perfectly in step over climate change. We need India’s support and leadership for the global climate summit to be successful,” said the French leader in Paris on April 10.

Mr Modi, an ardent proponent of harmonious living and sustainable development, assured the French leader of New Delhi’s unflinching support for combating global warming.

The focus on green energy was evident in the pact signed by the two countries on the extension of credit facility by Agence Française de Développement for India’s Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) promoting use of LED lighting in selected Indian municipalities;

nother agreement on renewable energy cooperation between the Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and the French Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy was also signed in the presence of the two leaders.

The French leader welcomed ambitious objectives set by the Indian government in terms of energy access to all and the development of renewable energy. Paris is already supporting India’s efforts to secure its energy supply and develop its sources of renewable energy, including solar power. France is also willing to support other renewable sources in India, such as wind, biomass and hydropower. India welcomed the target set by French companies aimed at developing 8 to 10 GW of solar energy in India by 2020-2022.

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