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The document is a reference list for a digital story on India's energy policy in 2026, citing sources related to power subsidies, clean energy, LPG pricing, and the financial performance of electricity distribution companies.

The report analyzes the role of Indian state governments in localizing the EV and battery supply chain, arguing that while central policies provide strategic direction, states control critical levers like land, power, and regulatory clearances. It finds that net localization for high-cost components like batteries and motors remains below 20%. The study categorizes 14 states into 'leading', 'aspirational', 'emerging', and 'differentiated' based on their policy strength and manufacturing competitiveness. Key recommendations include shifting toward indirect equity investment models to de-risk upstream battery production, establishing a design-linked incentive for R&D, and introducing phased zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandates to create demand certainty.

The report analyzes India's energy subsidy landscape in FY 2025 and FY 2026, highlighting a significant imbalance where fossil fuel subsidies are three times higher than clean energy subsidies. It details the fiscal strain on state governments due to rising electricity subsidies and the vulnerability of the national budget to global LPG and crude oil price volatility caused by conflict in the Gulf. The analysis argues for a strategic shift from recurring fossil fuel subsidies to one-time capital investments in renewable energy, electric cooking, and electric mobility to enhance energy security and fiscal sustainability.

The document argues that while India has expanded clean cooking via LPG subsidies, this pathway creates fiscal burdens and import dependencies. It advocates for a shift toward biogas in rural regions and e-cooking in urban areas, noting that both are more cost-effective over their lifecycles than LPG. The brief provides evidence from fieldwork in several Indian states and cities, highlighting that e-cooking could save the government over INR 2 trillion in subsidies by 2050. Key barriers identified include high upfront costs and inadequate maintenance services, which the authors suggest addressing through redirected subsidies and decentralized service centers.

The report argues that India's reliance on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and piped natural gas (PNG) creates energy security risks and fiscal burdens due to high import dependence and subsidies. It advocates for a shift toward decentralized biogas for rural households and e-cooking for urban areas to align with net-zero goals. Fieldwork in Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand shows that biogas is highly satisfactory and reduces firewood use by 70%, though high upfront costs remain a barrier. In urban centers like Delhi and Bengaluru, e-cooking is found to be cheaper in operational expenditure than LPG or PNG, with the potential to save the government up to INR 2.4 trillion in subsidies by 2050 under a high-growth scenario.

The SET 2026 report assesses 21 Indian states on their electricity transition, finding that progress is fragmented and that leadership in one area, such as decarbonisation, does not automatically ensure system-wide readiness. While states like Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh lead in decarbonisation, and Delhi and Haryana excel in power ecosystem readiness, most states face structural gaps in areas like smart metering, energy storage, and DISCOM financial health. The report emphasizes the need for coordinated state-level interventions to align capacity additions with grid readiness and market-enabling policies.

The report examines agriphotovoltaics (AgriPV) as a solution to land-use conflicts between solar energy and agriculture in India. It identifies significant technical potential, ranging from 3,156 GW to 13,803 GW, but notes that adoption is hindered by high capital costs, rigid land-use laws, and a lack of a formal regulatory definition. The study models feed-in tariffs between INR 3.67/kWh and INR 5.49/kWh, concluding that AgriPV is economically viable and offers lower levelized tariffs than non-DRE grid-connected projects. Key recommendations include mandating AgriPV under Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPO), defining it as a distinct renewable energy source, and adopting cost-plus tariff frameworks that account for elevated structures and farmer lease payments.

An event attribution study by World Weather Attribution found that human-induced climate change, primarily from fossil fuel combustion and deforestation, has increased the intensity of 30-day maximum rainfall in northern Pakistan by approximately 15%. The study highlights that while the event had a return period of about five years, the resulting high death toll—300 fatalities nationwide as of August 3, 2025, including 140 children—was exacerbated by rapid urbanization, informal settlements, and poor building code enforcement. The report emphasizes a significant funding gap for adaptation, noting that Pakistan requires US$152 billion for adaptation between 2023 and 2030, much of which remains unfinanced.

The report analyzes green hydrogen production in India, finding that state-level transmission waivers and capital subsidies are critical for cost competitiveness. It compares on-site, ISTS-connected, and STU-connected project models, highlighting that while on-site projects avoid transmission costs, they face land and demand constraints. The study identifies Odisha as a leader in cost competitiveness due to aggressive incentive packages and emphasizes that off-site projects require at least a 50% cost reduction to compete with grey hydrogen.

India leverages public spending—nearly 30% of its GDP—to drive environmental sustainability through green public procurement (GPP). While the country lacks a comprehensive national GPP policy, it utilizes administrative guidelines, the Government e-Marketplace (GeM), and sector-specific initiatives like the BEE star rating program. However, adoption is hindered by limited regulatory frameworks, a lack of stakeholder skills, perceived higher costs of green products, and incomplete monitoring systems. The report recommends strengthening legal frameworks, establishing a National SPP Competence Centre, scaling up third-party verified tools, and creating a robust monitoring and evaluation system.

The Acumen Climate Action Pakistan (ACAP) Fund is a USD 90 million blended finance facility, requesting USD 28 million from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), to support venture and growth-stage agribusinesses in Pakistan. The fund targets three investment themes: Farmer Platforms and Financial Solutions, Smart Farming, and Post-Harvest Technologies. It aims to benefit approximately 13.1 million people by improving farmer incomes, increasing the adoption of climate-smart agriculture, and reducing post-harvest losses. The program includes a USD 10 million Technical Assistance Facility (TAF) to support portfolio companies in areas such as gender initiatives, ESG reporting, and climate adaptation. ACAP seeks to demonstrate the commercial viability of adaptation-focused business models to catalyze further private sector investment in Pakistan's agriculture sector.

The 2024 Indian States’ Electricity Transition (SET) report identifies Gujarat and Karnataka as consistent top performers in decarbonising their power sectors and preparing their market ecosystems. While some states like Delhi and Odisha show high readiness or strong market enablers, they struggle with actual decarbonisation. Conversely, states such as Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh exhibit structural challenges and slow progress across all dimensions. The report recommends strengthening state-level regulatory frameworks and developing specific subnational transition plans to address these uneven disparities.

The ACAP Gender Assessment identifies systemic gender inequalities in Pakistan's agricultural sector, where women provide essential but largely unpaid and unrecognized labor while facing severe barriers to land ownership, credit, and education. The report highlights that Pakistan ranks first in Asia on a climate-agriculture-gender inequality hotspot index, leaving rural women particularly vulnerable to climate disasters. To address this, ACAP intends to apply a gender lens to its investments using 2X Challenge criteria, provide technical assistance for female farmers, and require portfolio companies to implement Gender Action Plans and SEAH (sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment) protections.

The document argues that while climate change drives extreme weather in Pakistan, such as the 2022 floods, the resulting devastation and security risks are multiplied by systemic governance failures, socioeconomic inequality, and political instability. It highlights a pattern where comprehensive strategic documents are produced following disasters, but implementation is hindered by a lack of localized governance and a political focus on short-term power over long-term resilience.

The 'Recharge Pakistan' project is a 7-year initiative designed to shift Pakistan's flood and water management from a reactive, grey-infrastructure-based approach to a proactive, nature-based strategy. With a total budget of approximately 77.8 million USD, the project focuses on four sites in the Indus Basin: DI Khan, Ramak, Chakar Lehri, and Manchar Lake. Key activities include restoring 14,215 hectares of degraded watersheds, implementing 127 green infrastructure measures (such as recharge basins and retention areas), and updating national and provincial water policies to prioritize EbA. The project also aims to improve the livelihoods of over 50,000 smallholder farmers through climate-smart agriculture and support the incubation of seven sustainable businesses. It is expected to benefit 687,336 direct and over 7 million indirect beneficiaries.

The 'Recharge Pakistan' project aims to shift Pakistan's flood and water management from a reactive, grey-infrastructure-based approach to a proactive, nature-based strategy. Implementing interventions across four sites in the Indus Basin, the project focuses on restoring degraded watersheds, establishing green infrastructure like recharge basins, and updating national and provincial water policies. It also targets the resilience of smallholder farmers through climate-smart agriculture and supports the development of sustainable, climate-resilient businesses. The project is managed by WWF-US as the Accredited Entity and WWF-Pakistan as the Executing Entity, with a total budget of approximately 77.8 million USD.

The document outlines a framework for implementing the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme in India, specifically focusing on feeder-level solarization. It argues that while solarizing agricultural feeders can increase farm incomes and reduce the financial burden of electricity subsidies on distribution companies, implementation must account for the 'water–energy–food nexus' to avoid negative impacts on groundwater. The guide offers practical suggestions on financing, inter-departmental coordination, and the integration of innovative approaches like agrivoltaics to maximize social and environmental benefits for low-income and marginal farmers.

The report examines the role of voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) in the South Asian cotton sector, specifically in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. It identifies three primary sustainability challenges: excessive synthetic pesticide use, severe water depletion, and volatile farmer incomes. The analysis finds that VSSs like Better Cotton, Organic, Fairtrade, and the REEL Cotton Code have significant market potential, particularly those allowing genetically modified (GM) cotton, which dominates the region. Spatial analysis indicates that VSSs are largely implemented in high-need areas, though gaps remain in regions like Andhra Pradesh and Haryana. The report concludes that while VSSs provide a framework for sustainable production, there is a lack of integrated regional policy or trade agreement provisions to scale these benefits, recommending stronger alignment between government policies and VSS requirements.

This executive summary describes the States’ Electricity Transition (SET) Scoring system developed by Ember to evaluate the electricity transition across 16 Indian states, which represent 90% of India's annual power requirement. The analysis focuses on four dimensions: decarbonisation, power system performance, power ecosystem readiness, and policies and political commitments. While some states like Karnataka show strong performance across all metrics, others, particularly Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal, require significant improvements in decarbonisation and system performance to meet national targets.

The document outlines strategies for implementing decentralized solar power plants in India's agriculture sector via the PM-KUSUM scheme. It addresses the distinct objectives of Component A (farmer income) and Component C (feeder-level solarization), while analyzing the water-energy-food nexus to prevent groundwater depletion. Key recommendations include reducing investment risks through 'deemed generation clauses', utilizing 'land banks' to facilitate developer-landowner interactions, and refining tariff calculations to reflect the higher O&M costs of small-scale plants. The guide also highlights the 'Paani Bachao Paisa Kamao' (PBPK) scheme in Punjab as a model for using direct cash incentives to encourage water conservation and discusses the potential of agrivoltaics to balance food and energy production.