They’re “Taking a Shortcut” Towards Clean-Powered Growth

India is building its economic growth on cheap solar power and electrification, leapfrogging the fossil-fuel-heavy path taken by China and Western economies.

“India is taking a shortcut to the energy future without the fossil fuel detour,” said Kingsmill Bond, energy strategist at Ember.

By 2025, solar generated 9% of India’s electricity, up from 0.5% a decade earlier, while coal use per person is about 40% of China’s level at the same income stage. Electric vehicles now account for 5% of car sales and nearly 60% of three-wheeler sales, with electricity already supplying 20% of final energy demand. Falling solar and battery costs are enabling faster industrial growth, lower oil imports and greater energy sovereignty, positioning India as a model for emerging economies seeking cleaner, cheaper development.