Why energy transmission is the next frontier for India

A robust grid ensures that power reaches every corner of the country reliably, supporting growth and improving the quality of life 

For decades, the story of India’s power sector was one of chronic scarcity and the desperate scramble for power generation. We measured progress by the number of power plants commissioned and the megawatts added to a perennially hungry grid. However, as global geopolitics becomes increasingly volatile, particularly with the ongoing disruptions in West Asia, India’s energy narrative is undergoing a fundamental shift. Energy self-sufficiency is no longer just an environmental aspiration; it is a strategic imperative central to national sovereignty.

Yet, an often under-emphasised truth sits at the heart of this transition: generation capacity alone does not guarantee energy security. Without a robust and forward-looking transmission network, even the most ambitious renewable targets risk under-delivery. The real story of India’s energy transformation, therefore, lies in the interplay between generation and transmission and the policy clarity that binds them together.

India’s electricity sector has undergone a structural transformation over the past decade. Energy shortages, which stood at over 4.2% in 2013-14, have nearly disappeared, falling to negligible levels in recent years (just 0.03% in 2025–26). The country has successfully met record peak demand exceeding 242 GW, signalling both demand growth and system resilience. The national grid operates at system availability levels exceeding 99%. These are not incremental improvements; they reflect sustained investments in both capacity creation and grid strengthening. 

From Fields to Power: There is a quiet transformation taking place across rural India. Farmers who once powered the Green Revolution are now enabling the country’s energy transition. Land that fed the nation is increasingly hosting solar parks, wind corridors, and transmission networks. This shift also signals the arrival of what can be called an ‘electricity revolution’. Reliable and abundant power is beginning to reshape consumption patterns. Electric mobility is expanding, industries are adapting, and households are becoming less dependent on fossil fuels. As renewable capacity grows, the country’s long-term dependence on imported crude and LNG is expected to ease. 

Policy ambition is keeping pace. India has already crossed the milestone of 50 per cent non-fossil installed capacity and is aiming for 60% by 2035. Its emission-intensity reduction target has also been raised to 47% by 2030 from 2005 levels. These are not incremental changes; they signal a structural shift.

India’s Electrification & Renewable Energy Momentum: Today, India stands as the fourth largest renewable energy market globally. Our total installed capacity has crossed the 509 GW mark, with non-fossil sources now accounting for more than half of that total. However, the sheer scale of our renewable ambitions—targeting 786 GW of non-fossil capacity by 2035—presents a unique set of engineering and logistical challenges.

Unlike coal-fired plants that can be built near load centres, renewable energy is location-specific. The sun shines brightest in the deserts of Rajasthan and Gujarat, and the winds blow strongest along the coasts of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Without a robust transmission network, this clean energy remains “stranded”, unable to reach the factories of Maharashtra or the households of Delhi. Transmission is the ultimate enabler of scale; it turns localised potential into national power.

The expansion of our national grid has been nothing short of Herculean. Since April 2014, the transmission network has grown by over 71 per cent, adding 2.09 lakh circuit kilometres (ckm) to cross a total milestone of 5 lakh ckm. In the last fiscal year alone, over 8,800 ckm of lines were added to strengthen connectivity. This progress is anchored by the Green Energy Corridors and the Intra-State Transmission System (InSTS) projects active across eight renewable-rich states. 

Why It Matters Now: The case for prioritising both generation and transmission is not merely technical; it is strategic. Reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels shields India from geopolitical shocks. A robust grid ensures that power reaches every corner of the country reliably, supporting growth and improving the quality of life. Rural India, through farmers’ participation, is emerging as a key driver of this transformation.

There is also a larger shift underway. India is no longer just a major energy consumer; it is positioning itself as a global leader in clean energy deployment. But we cannot afford to be complacent. To reach our updated target of 60 per cent non-fossil power capacity by 2035, the grid must evolve from being reactive to being pre-emptive. The current Inter-State Transmission System plan is ambitious, envisioning 67,000 ckm of lines and 600,000 MVA of transformation capacity by 2031. This forward-looking approach is necessary because transmission infrastructure often takes longer to plan and execute than the renewable plants themselves. If we do not build the “highways” of electricity today, our future generation capacity will have nowhere to go.

The economic implications of this shift are profound. Greater availability of domestic electricity for mobility, residential use, and industry directly dampens the growth in petroleum demand. Furthermore, India has raised the stakes for its own efficiency, revising the target for reducing energy intensity to 47 per cent of the GDP by 2030. This dual focus on adding green capacity while reducing intensity is the only viable pathway to a sustainable, high-growth economy. Looking ahead, the next decade will be the most decisive for India’s transmission sector. We are moving toward a reality of round-the-clock renewable energy (RE-RTC) that combines solar, wind, and storage. This requires a grid that is not just a series of wires but a sophisticated, modernised entity capable of handling the intermittency of clean power. 

VARUN BHATIA