India and Africa Strategic Partnership Meet held at Bharat Electricity Summit
Dated 2026-03-21

New Delhi, March 21, 2026 – On Day 3 of the Bharat Energy Summit (BES) 2026, the India–Africa Strategic Partnership Meet was convened, bringing together ministers, ambassadors, senior officials, and global sectoral leaders to strengthen collaboration in the power sector.

The session began with a welcome address by Shri Jitendra Srivastava, Chairman & Managing Director, REC Limited, followed by strategic context setting by CMD, NTPC and the CEO, Africa 50.

Key addresses were delivered by:

Hon’ble Union Minister of Power, Housing & Urban Affairs, Government of India.

Hon’ble Chief Minister of Haryana.

Hon’ble Minister of State (MoS) for Power and New & Renewable Energy, Government of India

High-level participation included African ministers from Mauritius and Malawi, along with ambassadors, high commissioners, and permanent secretaries. Distinguished dignitaries from international agencies and organizations such as Africa 50, the World Bank Group, Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Limited (KETRACO), and the Africa Infrastructure Development Association (AfiDA) contributed to the deliberations.

A brief on the Indian Power Sector was delivered by the Chairperson, CEA, followed by an interaction and discussion session between African nations and representatives from the Central Government and the Government of Haryana, focusing on collaboration opportunities in the power sector. Brief remarks from several African countries highlighted pathways for cooperation and mutual growth.

The session, supported by Ernst & Young (EY) as Knowledge Partner and Moderator, provided a valuable platform for country representatives to share their national priorities, ongoing initiatives, and specific requirements where collaboration with India could offer strategic value. It enabled the development of a shared understanding of mutually beneficial partnerships aimed at driving sustainable and reliable power sector growth across both regions. The discussions also emphasized capacity building and institutional strengthening, explored opportunities in Africa through joint ventures and investment partnerships, and facilitated meaningful interaction between Indian states’ representatives and African leaders.

This meet marks a significant step toward building sustainable and reliable power sector growth across both regions, reinforcing India’s leadership in advancing international partnerships for energy security and infrastructure development.

About REC LIMITED

REC is a 'Maharatna' company under the administrative control of the Ministry of Power, Government of India, and is registered with RBI as Non-Banking Finance Company (NBFC), Public Financial Institution (PFI) and Infrastructure Financing Company (IFC). REC is financing the entire Power-Infrastructure sector comprising Generation, Transmission, Distribution, Renewable Energy and new technologies like Electric Vehicles, Battery Storage, Pump Storage projects, Green Hydrogen, Green Ammonia projects etc. More recently REC Limited has also diversified into the Non-Power Infrastructure sector comprising Roads & Expressways, Metro Rail, Airports, IT Communication, Social and Commercial Infrastructure (Educational Institution, Hospitals), Ports and Electro-Mechanical (E&M) works in respect of various other sectors like Steel, Refinery, etc.

REC Limited provides loans of various maturities to State, Central and Private Companies for creation of infrastructure assets in the country. REC Limited continues to play a key strategic role in the flagship schemes of the Government for the power sector and has been nodal agency for Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (SAUBHAGAYA), Deen Dayal Upadhaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY), National Electricity Fund (NEF) Scheme which resulted in strengthening of last mile distribution system, 100% village electrification and household electrification in the country. REC has been designated as the nodal agency for certain States and Union Territories under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS). Additionally, the Central Government has entrusted REC with the responsibility of implementing the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana.