The India Energy Week 2025 has once again positioned India as a global leader in the clean energy transition, particularly in the domain of clean cooking solutions. The Ministerial Roundtable on Clean Cooking, chaired by Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, this week underscored India’s remarkable success in ensuring universal access to LPG through targeted subsidies, robust infrastructure, and an unwavering political commitment. The discussion, attended by representatives from Brazil, Tanzania, Malawi, Sudan, Nepal, and industry leaders, highlighted the replicability of India’s clean cooking model across the Global South. With programs like Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), LPG access has been made available to beneficiaries at a meager 7 cents per day, while other consumers pay just 15 cents per day. This affordability, coupled with an extensive digital distribution network, has driven large-scale adoption, reducing reliance on traditional biomass and significantly cutting carbon emissions.
Despite India’s success, the roundtable discussions revealed common hurdles faced by developing nations in expanding clean cooking access. The International Energy Agency (IEA) and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) acknowledged India’s leadership in this space, emphasizing that its model of smart subsidies, targeted policies, and strong private-sector collaboration can be replicated globally. However, success hinges on affordability, infrastructure investments, and cultural acceptance—factors that need to be carefully adapted to each country’s context. While LPG has been a game-changer, India is already looking beyond it. Solar cookers, such as those developed by Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL), represent the next frontier. These advanced cookers, priced at $500 per unit, offer a zero-cost cooking solution over their lifespan. However, their high initial cost remains a barrier, necessitating carbon financing and public-private partnerships to bring prices down for mass adoption.
As India continues its energy transition, its leadership in clean cooking solutions can serve as a blueprint for the Global South. The key to replicating this success lies in smart policy frameworks, innovative financing mechanisms, and robust infrastructure, ensuring that clean cooking is not just a privilege but a fundamental right for millions worldwide.
