MUMBAI : China and Pakistan have expressed interest in becoming members ofthe International Solar Alliance (ISA), an India-led initiative to providea dedicated platform for cooperation among solar resource rich countries.

While 65 countries are signatories to the ISA framework agreement, 35countries have ratified it. With India and France front-ending the attemptsto set up ISA, it has become India’s calling card on climate change.

“China is a prospective member country as some parts of it is locatedwithin the tropics. As of today, given its location, Pakistan can be apartner country. And there is a proposal to amend the framework agreement.Once an amendment takes place, tropics will not be the borders for the ISA.Pakistan can be a member then,” said an official quoted by the LiveMinthaving information of China’s and Pakistan’s interest in ISA’s membership.

Initially, ISA envisaged 121 sunshine countries situated between theTropics of Cancer and Capricorn as its members. But during the foundingconference of the ISA in New Delhi in March this year, India said thatmembership of the body will be thrown open to all countries that want tojoin, with no criteria such as duration of sunlight and geographicallocation.

“The Chinese are interested in partnering with ISA. It is logical giventhat the move will benefit them due to large solar manufacturing capacitiesthat they have developed. Many countries are interested in ISA,” said theperson who requested anonymity.

Solar modules or panels account for nearly 60% of a solar power project’scost, with China’s solar panel manufacturing capacity estimated to bearound 70 gigawatts (GW) per year, a private television channel reportedThursday.

“Pakistan’s view is that since it’s not within the tropics, it can’t be amember. However, once the amendment is done, they are interested inbecoming a member. They will benefit from the opportunities that ISA canprovide,” said the person.

ISA states the purpose of its formation as, “Many countries face gaps inthe potential solar energy manufacturing eco-system. Absence of universalenergy access, energy equity and affordability are issues common to most ofthe solar resource rich countries. International Solar Alliance (ISA) isconceived as a coalition of solar resource rich countries to address theirspecial energy needs and will provide a platform to collaborate onaddressing the identified gaps through a common, agreed approach. It willnot duplicate or replicate the efforts that others (like InternationalRenewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Renewable Energy and Energy EfficiencyPartnership(REEEP), International Energy Agency (IEA), Renewable EnergyPolicy Network for the 21st Century (REN21), United Nations bodies,bilateral organizations etc.) are currently engaged in, but will establishnetworks and develop synergies with them and supplement their efforts in asustainable and focused manner.