Women must move from the margins to the centre of India’s clean energy transformation, experts and policymakers said at the latest edition of the India-Germany Climate Talks, hosted by the German Embassy in national capital on Thursday.

 

The event spotlighted the critical role of women as innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, community leaders and decision-makers, underlining that a truly inclusive energy transition will depend on recognising and empowering their contributions.

 

The talks also marked the launch of Powering the Future: Women at the Heart of India's Energy Transition, a new publication authored by Neha Saigal, co-founder of Intertidal Lab and Climate & Care Initiative, Bengaluru, and published by Heinrich Böll Stiftung (hbs), New Delhi.

 

The book captures the journeys of women driving sustainable energy solutions across India, drawing on experiences from Odisha, Punjab, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. It highlights how women are shaping the country’s energy future while making the case for gender to become a central pillar of climate and energy policy.

 

Opening the event, Philipp Ackermann, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to India, stressed that gender-responsive climate action is not only a matter of equality but also a driver of economic growth, innovation and opportunity.

 

"A gender-responsive energy transition is not just good for gender equality - it is an economic opportunity. India’s journey toward renewable energy can unlock more markets, create more jobs, and drive innovation if women have equal access to resources, decision-making, and leadership. Germany is proud to partner with India in making this a reality. 

 

"By bringing forward the experiences of women at the grassroots, this conversation reminds us that the transition is as much about people and communities as it is about technology. Through the Indo-German Partnership for Green and Sustainable Development, India and Germany are not only advancing clean energy but also building a future that is people-centred, inclusive, and leaves no one behind.”

 

Drawing from the stories featured in her book, Neha Saigal highlighted the need to place gender at the foundation of India’s energy policies rather than treating it as an afterthought.

 

“India's energy transition presents an opportunity to place gender at the heart of policy and decision-making, not as an afterthought but as a foundation for a just transition. Women are central to energy systems as users, providers of care, and drivers of livelihoods, and their leadership and lived experiences must shape the transition. 

 

"We need to move beyond speaking of a single 'energy transition' and recognise that India is experiencing multiple energy transitions, each shaped by local realities and the lived experiences of its communities. A just transition is not only about moving away from fossil fuels, but about ensuring we do not recreate existing inequalities. as we build a cleaner energy future.”