Access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy is a sine qua non to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).” Comment on the progress made in India in this regard. (150 words)

Energy access is the foundation for livelihoods, health, education, mobility and productive employment; SDG 7 seeks universal, reliable, affordable and sustainable energy.

Access: Near-universal household electrification has followed Saubhagya, strengthened distribution and expanded LPG connections under Ujjwala. LED adoption through UJALA reduced household electricity demand and bills.

• Grid capacity and transmission have expanded, while solar and wind additions have made renewables central to capacity growth.
• India has improved its energy-intensity trajectory through efficiency standards, mass transit and energy-efficient appliances.

India is a global leader in solar deployment and the International Solar Alliance, but coal remains important for dependable power. Discom losses, unreliable rural supply, affordability constraints, clean-cooking gaps and storage intermittency remain concerns.

Accelerate distributed solar, battery storage, green hydrogen, modernised grids and clean cooking; target subsidies better, improve discom governance and ensure a just transition for coal-dependent regions.

Keywords: energy access, renewable transition, India SDG 7.