India-UK Offshore Wind Taskforce

Context: India and the United Kingdom launched the India-UK Offshore Wind Taskforce under Vision 2035 to accelerate cooperation in offshore wind energy development.

About India-UK Offshore Wind Taskforce:

What it is?

• The India-UK Offshore Wind Taskforce is a bilateral cooperation platform launched under the Fourth India-UK Energy Dialogue to strengthen collaboration in offshore wind energy.

• It brings together policy makers, industry stakeholders, and technical experts to guide the development of India’s emerging offshore wind sector using UK expertise and Indian market scale.

Aim / Objectives:

• Accelerate offshore wind deployment through strategic India-UK cooperation.

• Develop a robust offshore wind ecosystem including policy, infrastructure, and financing frameworks.

• Promote long-term energy security and industrial competitiveness under Vision 2035.

Key Features:

• Strategic Leadership Platform: Provides coordinated guidance for India’s nascent offshore wind sector.

• Three Priority Pillars: Ecosystem planning & market design (seabed leasing, revenue certainty). Infrastructure & supply chains (ports, manufacturing, marine logistics). Financing & risk mitigation (blended finance, institutional capital mobilisation).

• Ecosystem planning & market design (seabed leasing, revenue certainty).

• Infrastructure & supply chains (ports, manufacturing, marine logistics).

• Financing & risk mitigation (blended finance, institutional capital mobilisation).

• Identified Offshore Zones: Initial development planned off Gujarat and Tamil Nadu coasts.

• Government Support: Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme of ₹7,453 crore to support early projects.

• Energy Transition Linkage: Supports National Green Hydrogen Mission through renewable coastal power supply.

Relevance for UPSC Exam:

• GS Paper II – International Relations

• India-UK bilateral cooperation in energy and technology. Climate diplomacy and strategic partnerships.

• India-UK bilateral cooperation in energy and technology.

• Climate diplomacy and strategic partnerships.

• GS Paper III – Environment & Energy

• Renewable energy transition and clean energy technologies. Offshore wind as part of India’s climate commitments and energy security strategy. Green hydrogen ecosystem and decarbonisation pathways.

• Renewable energy transition and clean energy technologies.

• Offshore wind as part of India’s climate commitments and energy security strategy.

• Green hydrogen ecosystem and decarbonisation pathways.