India, UK launch offshore wind task force under vision 2035 framework

NEW DELHI: Union minister for new and renewable energy Pralhad Joshi and the UK’s deputy prime minister David Lammy on Wednesday launched a task force for the development of offshore wind energy in India.

The task force has been constituted under the India-UK Vision 2035 and the Fourth Energy Dialogue to provide strategic leadership and coordination for India’s offshore wind ecosystem.

Joshi said that while the United Kingdom has demonstrated global leadership in scaling offshore wind and developing mature supply chains, India brings scale, long-term demand, and a rapidly expanding clean energy ecosystem. He added that the UK has strong exposure and experience in the field and the two countries can work together to address real execution challenges.

Joshi urged the platform to deliver time-bound workstreams, measurable milestones, and visible progress, converting global lessons into solutions tailored to Indian conditions.

Joshi outlined three practical pillars for cooperation: first, ecosystem planning and market design, including refined seabed leasing frameworks and credible revenue-certainty mechanisms; second, infrastructure and supply chains, including port modernisation, local manufacturing, and specialised vessels; and third, financing and risk mitigation through blended finance structures and mobilisation of long-term institutional capital.

Lammy said the UK is the second-largest market for offshore wind in the world and recently held Europe’s biggest auction in the sector, securing 8.4 GW of new capacity. “This task force is important. It is important in catalysing these initial offshore wind projects,” he said.

According to officials, offshore wind projects are capable of generating more energy due to higher-quality wind and the absence of obstructions at sea. However, they are far more capital-intensive, and the cost of power from these projects is much higher than from other renewable sources. They added that India has a potential of 70 GW of offshore wind generation. The govt initially plans to develop offshore wind projects off the coasts of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.

Later, speaking on the sidelines of the ongoing AI Impact Summit, Joshi said the integration of artificial intelligence-driven technologies can be useful in managing the stability of India’s power grid. He said the generation of solar and wind energy often fluctuates because of weather variability, creating grid-stability challenges.