BharatNotes 🤝 International Relations
International Solar Alliance (ISA)
GS2 /ˌɪn.təˈnæʃ.ən.əl ˈsəʊ.lər əˈlaɪ.əns/
International Solar Alliance (ISA)
/ˌɪn.təˈnæʃ.ən.əl ˈsəʊ.lər əˈlaɪ.əns/A treaty-based international organisation co-founded by India and France at COP21 Paris on 30 November 2015, headquartered in Gurugram, Haryana, with the objective of promoting solar energy deployment, mobilising investment ($1 trillion target by 2030), reducing technology costs, and building capacity in solar-resource-rich countries.
Context & Background
Became a treaty-based organisation in December 2017; 113 Member Countries (signed and ratified) and 14 Signatory Countries per ISA's own website accessed 22 September 2026; its Eighth Assembly met at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, from 27 to 30 October 2025 on the theme "One Sun, One World, One Grid", and Ashish Khanna has been Director General since 17 March 2025; key initiative: One Sun One World One Grid (OSOWOG) — a global interconnected solar energy grid.
UPSC Exam Relevance
GS2 (International Relations) and GS3 (Environment). Prelims: founding date (November 2015, COP21), co-founders (India and France), HQ (Gurugram, Haryana), current membership with its as-of date, and the distinction from the International Seabed Authority (Kingston, Jamaica), which shares the acronym. Mains: evaluate ISA's effectiveness in promoting solar energy in developing countries; assess India's leadership in global renewable energy governance.
Seen in UPSC Question Papers
- Mains 2021 · GS3 · 10 marksEnvironment and Ecology
Each entry is a real UPSC previous-year question whose text mentions “International Solar Alliance (ISA)”. Practice the full question sets in the International Relations PYQ bank.
