Japan to help India draft carbon-neutral roadmap for power sector

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the country’s development aid arm, will work with India’s Central Electricity Authority (CEA) to draft a carbon-neutral roadmap for the sector starting in FY26, two people familiar with the matter told Mint. The four-year plan aims to cut emissions and support India’s broader push to reach net-zero by 2070.

The initiative is part of a growing energy and infrastructure partnership between the two countries, and marks a new phase of collaboration focused on decarbonization technology, policy planning and long-term institutional development.

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JICA will provide technical assistance to reduce carbon emissions in the power sector and help align India’s targets—building 500 GW of non-fossil power capacity and meeting half of its electricity demand from renewables by 2030—with actionable policy and planning.

“This collaboration (with JICA) will be crucial in aligning India’s power sector with its 2030 decarbonization targets," said one of the people cited above, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “The roadmap will guide long-term planning, technology adoption, and policy support to accelerate the shift to clean energy."

An email to the spokesperson of the Central Electricity Authority of India seeking comments went answered till press time.

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As one of India’s largest bilateral development partners, JICA is already supporting renewable energy initiatives across the country and working closely with the CEA on broader policy frameworks. 

The agency’s growing footprint spans a range of sectors, from health and sanitation to railways and roads—including high-profile projects such as the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train and the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link.

"Following a request from the Indian government, which was approved by the Japanese government, JICA has dispatched two missions since December 2024 to work with the Central Electricity Authority on designing the project (draft a carbon-neutral roadmap for the power sector)," said the second person cited.

"JICA wishes to contribute to the Indian government’s energy transition by utilizing Japan’s experience and expertise within Japan and globally. It hopes to agree with the Central Electricity Authority of India on the specific design aspects of the project within the ongoing fiscal year (FY26)," this person added.

India is a key partner in Japan’s ‘China Plus One’ strategy, though its integration into global supply chains still lags that of Southeast Asian peers. Takeuchi Takuro, JICA’s India chief, told Mint last month that both governments are working to strengthen India’s role in Japanese supply networks and encourage greater investment.

"In the China context, India is one of the most important (partners) for Japan," Takuro said, adding that JICA is determined to invest more in the country.

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Beyond the carbon-neutral roadmap, JICA’s support is also aimed at bolstering institutional capacity within the CEA through strategic planning and long-term power sector development.

“This multi-pronged support—ranging from technical assistance to renewable energy financing—underscores Japan’s broader commitment to India’s clean energy transition," added the first person mentioned above.