New Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Francois Hollande have jointly invited over 100 countries to International Solar Initiative to be launched by them on November 30 at Paris climate meet.

According to officials, Modi and Hollande have jointly sent written invites to 100 plus countries to International Solar Initiative at Paris Climate Conference (COP21).

The two leaders invited the countries saying that in their view, a coalition of countries joining hands to accelerate the development of solar power would have the potential to contribute significantly towards a common objective of sustainable development, universal energy access and energy security.

The alliance will also take the countries closer to their shared vision to bring clean, affordable and renewable energy within the reach of all, the leaders said.

The idea of solar alliance was mooted by Modi during the the India-Africa Forum Summit here last month.

The alliance is to be named the International Agency for Solar Policy and Application (InSPA) and is aimed at a host of African nations and others located between Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn.

InSPA will act as a platform for countries to share technologies as opposed to relying on costly transfers from the EU and US.

The initiative comes against the backdrop of India’s recent INDC submission where it committed to having 40 per cent of its energy mix coming from alternative sources by 2030. It has also targeted an ambitious 100 GW of solar capacity by 2022.

PTI