The ISA, founded to mobilize over $1 trillion in solar investment by 2030, aims to scale solar technology, improve energy access in developing nations, and harmonize solar regulations.
In a sweeping move that further isolates the United States from global climate initiatives, President Donald Trump has ordered a formal withdrawal from the International Solar Alliance (ISA), an intergovernmental organisation led by India and France.
The exit is part of a massive administrative rollback signed on Wednesday, in which the US terminated its membership in 66 international organisations and treaties, including dozens of United Nations bodies. The White House characterised the exit as a necessary step to protect American sovereignty and end the "wasteful" funding of globalist bureaucracies that prioritise climate agendas over US economic interests.
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What is the International Solar Alliance?
The ISA, headquartered in Gurugram, India, serves as a primary vehicle for India’s growing influence in the "Global South." It was launched during the 2015 COP21 climate summit in Paris by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then-French President François Hollande.
The alliance was founded with the specific goal of mobilising more than $1 trillion in investment by 2030 to deploy solar energy at scale across "sunshine countries", territories located between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.
The ISA’s Core Mission Includes:
- Solar Scaling: Reducing the cost of solar technology and financing for developing nations through joint advocacy and bulk procurement.
- Energy Access: Bringing electricity to rural and underserved regions in Africa, Asia, and Latin America using solar-powered grids.
- Harmonised Policy: Creating a unified global framework for solar regulations to make projects more attractive to private investors.
A Setback for India-U.S. Climate Diplomacy
The United States joined the ISA as a full member in late 2021, a move that was seen at the time as a major strengthening of the strategic partnership between Washington and New Delhi.
By withdrawing, the US ceases its financial contributions to the alliance’s programs and removes its technical expertise from global solar research initiatives.
The Broader Context of "America First"
The exit from the ISA coincided with the US becoming the first nation to officially leave the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the 1992 treaty that serves as the foundation for the Paris Agreement.
Alongside the solar alliance, the administration also cut ties with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
"We are exiting organisations that seek to tax American energy and hinder our industrial growth," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement defending the mass withdrawal. "The American taxpayer will no longer foot the bill for global experiments in renewable energy".
Published: 08 Jan 2026, 10:43 am IST
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