NTPC Secures Foothold in Africa’s Solar Sector

India is leveraging its solar power expertise as it ventures into African nations under the aegis of the International Solar Alliance (ISA. As part of this strategy, state-run power generator NTPC Ltd plans to help Gambia and Malawi develop solar power parks and is eyeing project management consultancy contracts in Sudan, Mozambique, Egypt, Uganda, Rwanda and Niger. India’s largest power generation utility recently got such contracts in Mali and Togo. India is showcasing its record low tariffs and project execution skills to secure these projects even as China aims to co-opt countries into its ‘One Belt One Road’ initiative. New Delhi’s Africa playbook involves helping state-run firms such as NTPC win these contracts with the backing of ISA, the first treaty-based international government organization headquartered in India that is increasingly being viewed as a foreign policy tool. Indian strategic planners believe that the covid-19 pandemic has given the country the opportunity to be seen as a developing nation with a proven ability to take the lead in evolving regional and global strategies. With an installed capacity of 62 gigawatts, NTPC is targeting similar contracts to help set up 10 GW capacity in ISA member countries. It accounts for nearly a fifth of India’s installed power generation capacity of 370 GW. India’s strategy is to counter the growing influence of strategic rival China in the region. New Delhi has also extended a $10-billion concessional line of credit (LOC) for the African continent. It is also exploring the supply of small nuclear power reactors to electricity-starved countries, Mint reported earlier.