The International Solar Alliance has lost one of its key members. The United States has officially withdrawn from the Indian-led multilateral body; that’s a blow to the organisation’s global credibility.
The exit is part of a broader decision by the Trump administration to leave 65 international groups. Washington has labelled these organisations “wasteful, ineffective, and harmful to American interests.”
Why This Matters for India
The ISA holds special importance for New Delhi. It is the first multilateral body that India has promoted on the global stage. The alliance was meant to strengthen India’s voice among developing nations and push back against China’s growing influence in Africa and Latin America.
The union minister for new and renewable energy, Pralhad Joshi, currently serves as the organisation’s president. France holds the co-presidency.
The US State Department was blunt in its statement. It said these institutions were “redundant in their scope, mismanaged, unnecessary, wasteful, and poorly run” and often captured by actors pushing agendas that go against American interests.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio went further on X, calling the organisation “anti-American, useless, or wasteful” and warning that further withdrawals could follow.
“These withdrawals keep a key promise President Trump made to Americans – we will stop subsidising globalist bureaucrats who act against our interests,” Rubio wrote.
What the Solar Alliance Does
India and France launched the ISA on the sidelines of the 2015 Paris climate summit. The idea was simple. Bring countries together to fight climate change through solar power.
The alliance has since grown to include over 100 signatory nations. More than 90 have completed the full ratification process. After a 2020 rule change, any UN member can now join.
The group has set an ambitious target. It aims to unlock $1 trillion in solar investment by 2030 while reducing costs for technology and financing. Much of its work focuses on helping poorer countries build solar capacity through decentralised energy systems and microgrids.
Just last October, the ISA held its 8th assembly in New Delhi. There, it launched the Africa Solar Facility, a $200 million programme aimed at expanding renewable energy across the continent. This was its first financial product designed to reduce investment risk.
A Pattern of Climate Exits
The solar alliance is not alone. The US has also walked away from several other climate and energy bodies.
The list includes the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the International Renewable Energy Agency, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Washington has also left forums dealing with counterterrorism, cybersecurity, migration, and mining.
None of those decisions comes as a surprise. Trump has made his position clear. He favours oil and natural gas over renewable energy. Last year, he pulled the US out of the Paris Agreement for the second time, raising serious doubts about whether global climate goals can still be met.
The 2030 targets set under that agreement now look harder to reach without American participation.
