The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is poised to host the Seventh Regional Committee Meeting (RCM) for the Asia and the Pacific Region from July 15 to 17, 2025, in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Bringing together an array of stakeholders including government officials, technical universities, think tanks, institutional partners, and private sector leaders, the meeting will focus on driving regional collaboration to scale solar energy deployment across the diverse Asia-Pacific landscape. Themed “Advancing Solar Cooperation Across a Region of Diversity and Opportunity,” the gathering aims to foster strategic dialogue, facilitate knowledge sharing, and deliver action-oriented outcomes to strengthen the region’s leadership in the global transition to solar power.
Highlighting the critical role of the Asia-Pacific region in shaping the future of clean energy, Ashish Khanna, Director General of ISA, underscored the significance of the upcoming meeting. He noted that the Colombo RCM offers a unique opportunity to craft investment-ready, scalable solutions tailored to the needs of countries in the region. These include initiatives such as developing regional solar energy platforms for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), enabling inter-country energy interconnections, expanding digital innovations, and accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies like Green Hydrogen and energy storage.
The meeting, chaired by the Vice President from the region, the Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, will serve as a critical platform to align regional priorities with ISA’s evolving strategic vision. This vision is anchored in four foundational pillars Catalytic Finance Hub, Global Capability Centre and Digitisation, Regional and Country-Level Platforms, and Technology Roadmap and Policy Innovation. These pillars collectively aim to mobilise catalytic and blended finance to reduce risks associated with solar investments, build an interconnected innovation ecosystem, aggregate regional solar demand, and support the adoption of advanced solar technologies and new energy solutions.
A key highlight of the meeting will be the integration of insights from ISA’s joint project with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Ecosystem Readiness for Green Hydrogen. The outcomes of this initiative, presented at the Asia Clean Energy Forum 2025 in Manila, include critical documents such as the Framework for Green Hydrogen Hubs, country-specific readiness assessments, and strategic roadmaps for energy storage systems. These resources will inform technology pathways and policy discussions during the RCM, enabling countries to accelerate deployment and scale solar solutions regionally.
Several thematic sessions will delve into pressing issues, including the operationalisation of the SIDS Solar Platform. This session will explore the creation of a transparent regional e-marketplace focused on institutional design, ownership models, and case studies. Other discussions will address strengthening institutional capacity through STAR Centres and the Global Capability Centre by spotlighting successful models in Bhutan, Papua New Guinea, and Kiribati. Efforts will also be made to co-develop digital learning platforms to bridge regional skill gaps in the solar sector.
Further sessions will focus on accelerating the adoption of Green Hydrogen, energy storage, and e-mobility, especially in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and SIDS. Regional interconnections will also be explored with discussions centred around cross-border solar trade frameworks, innovative financing models, and leveraging existing grid infrastructure to enhance solar access and affordability.
The RCM will witness the signing of Country Partnership Frameworks with select nations and Partnership Agreements with regional and international organisations, reinforcing ISA’s mission to advance solar deployment across Asia and the Pacific. Additionally, plans for establishing new regional STAR Centres will be discussed. These centres are envisioned to bolster institutional capabilities, foster technical expertise, and support the region’s long-term renewable energy ambitions.
With a strong emphasis on partnership and local leadership, the Seventh Regional Committee Meeting in Colombo is set to be a pivotal moment in ISA’s regional engagement strategy. It will lay the foundation for impactful solar programmes, enduring partnerships, and long-term strategies aligned with ISA’s Framework Agreement and the global climate agenda.
