Two years ago, on September 9, 2023, India launched the Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA) during its G20 presidency, a watershed moment that has fundamentally reshaped global energy cooperation and established India as an emerging climate superpower.

The Global Biofuels Alliance, steered by India, aims to unlock $500 billion in economic opportunities for G20 nations within just three years, an ambition with the power to transform livelihoods across two-thirds of the world’s population and anchor a new paradigm in sustainable growth.

By focusing on biofuels in the global energy transition, India has shown that developing countries can take the lead on climate action while still meeting their own development needs. This approach offers an alternative to the more traditional, top-down models used by developed countries. The rise of the GBA shows India’s shift toward climate leadership based on fairness, inclusion, and working together with other countries.

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Architecture of Climate Superpower Emergence

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement, delivered alongside leaders from the United States, Brazil, Argentina, Singapore, Bangladesh, Italy, Mauritius, and the UAE, signalled India’s confidence in shaping international energy norms from a Global South perspective. The launch marked India’s transition from a participant in global climate governance to an architect of new multilateral frameworks.

Unlike many climate initiatives led by Western countries, the GBA focuses on sharing technology, building skills, and exchanging knowledge among developing nations. This approach recognises that energy solutions need to fit local needs and be affordable.

For example, India has shared its advanced biofuel technology with several African countries. India and Brazil are also working together to build ethanol plants in Africa, showing the benefits of cooperation between developing nations. In Southeast Asia, countries like Indonesia are learning from India’s experience with biomass energy. These examples show the real impact of the GBA’s work in different regions.

The GBA was launched at a time when the world is starting to see how important biofuels are for reaching net-zero goals. The International Energy Agency expects biofuel demand to rise sharply by 2028, but right now, sustainable aviation fuel makes up only 0.3 per cent of all aviation fuel used. India’s early focus on this area shows strong vision in spotting and acting on new opportunities in the global energy shift.

The establishment of the GBA Secretariat in New Delhi represents a milestone in India’s diplomatic evolution, marking the country’s first major international organisation hosting arrangement in the realm of economic diplomacy. The signing of the Host Country Agreement in October........

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