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As India charts its course towards becoming a developed nation by 2047 while pursuing its net-zero emissions target by 2070, energy security and affordability will play a decisive role in helping the country achieve its objectives, according to Shishir Priyadarshi, President of the Chintan Research Foundation (CRF).

Speaking at the ABP Network India@2047 Summit on the theme "Viksit Bharat and Net Zero: Can India Achieve Both?", Priyadarshi said India must significantly expand its energy generation capacity to support its long-term economic aspirations. "Energy will be the single most important thing to achieve this goal," he said.

Highlighting the scale of the task ahead, Priyadarshi said India would need to dramatically boost its power generation capacity over the next two decades.

"One of the most important ingerdients would be to cross this barrier and for that we need set a target of approximately 2,000 gigawatts by 2047, increasing the production capacity four times," he said.

According to Priyadarshi, meeting the energy requirements of a developed India will require substantial investments and strategic planning to ensure reliable access to power for industries, businesses, and households.

He argued that this increase in production cannot be achieved by making everything green and renewable. "It is not just the country's responsibility to go green. It is as much our responsibility to ensure that we are going green while ensuring energy at an affordable price."

Addressing concerns over whether the goals of becoming a developed nation and achieving net-zero emissions are inherently conflicting, Priyadarshi said: "We cannot see them as being divergent and incompatible. We need to ensure that we not only go green, but grow green."

About Shishir Priyadarshi

Shishir Priyadarshi is a noted economist, policy expert and President of the Chintan Research Foundation (CRF), a New Delhi-based think tank that focuses on trade, economic policy, climate, energy transition and geopolitics. With extensive experience in both national administration and international institutions, he has emerged as a prominent voice on global trade and development issues.

Priyadarshi previously served as a Director at the World Trade Organization (WTO), where he played a key role in shaping discussions on international commerce, trade facilitation and economic cooperation. Prior to his tenure at the WTO, he spent more than two decades in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), holding a range of senior positions in government and contributing to policymaking across economic and industrial sectors.

Over the course of his career, he has worked closely with major global organisations, including the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), OECD and UNCTAD. Known for his expertise in trade policy, infrastructure development and sustainable growth, Priyadarshi continues to engage in research and policy dialogue aimed at strengthening India's role in an increasingly interconnected global economy.