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| The US Ambassador shared a story about a hotel in Kerala, where he was asked to plant a coconut palm sapling at the end of his stay. | Photo: Bloomberg |
Addressing a gathering, the Ambassador praised India’s ambitious goals for renewable energy, foretelling that the country will become the global “shop floor” for the sector in the next three decades.
“India is setting bold targets and implementing policies that position it as a leader in solar and wind energy capacity, not just for its own needs but also to manufacture cost-effective solutions for the world,” he asserted.
“Mark my words, India will, in the next 30 years, be the epicenter of the renewable energy revolution,” he emphasized.
The outgoing Ambassador’s remarks came at the South Asia Women in Energy Leadership Summit, hosted by the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF).
Recounting his experience in Kerala, the Ambassador shared, “They asked me to plant a coconut palm sapling, and I inquired about how long it would take for coconuts to grow. They told me it would take around eight years.”
Drawing a parallel with the larger context of Indo-US relations, he said, “May we, each day, plant that coconut, and may we, each day, find a way to make our relationship even better.”
“I am confident that the US-India relationship is like that resilient palm tree, capable of withstanding the strongest storms and winds. It will continue to thrive and benefit not just our two nations but the world at large,” he added.
Garcetti, known for his oratory, announced a series of speeches covering “four Ps: peace, prosperity, planet, and people” on Indo-US relations before his departure from New Delhi. The first speech, delivered on Monday, focused on the planet.
With the upcoming inauguration of Donald Trump’s second term as US President on January 20, the Ambassador is set to step down, allowing the new administration to appoint its choice.
He commended the Indian government for its bold renewable energy goals and highlighted the country’s significant investments in the sector, surpassing many other nations. However, he also emphasized the importance of community efforts to achieve these goals.
The Ambassador also reassured the audience of the continued partnership between India and the US in the clean energy sector, citing various initiatives and billions of dollars of green investments flowing into solar, wind, electric vehicle production, and energy storage solutions.
He specifically mentioned the Renewable Energy Technology Action Platform (RETAP) as one of the collaborative endeavors between the two countries.
In his speech, the Ambassador also drew a contrast between democracies like India and the US and autocracies like China. He shared an anecdote about his visit to China, where a mayor claimed to have planted four million trees the previous year.
“In a democracy, you might face protests or objections when you want to move a house for tree planting. But the flip side is that you can engage people in the change, listen to their solutions, and collectively find the best way forward,” he reflected.
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