New Delhi:India harnessed 5.2 GW of small hydropower capacity out of the overall potential of 21 GW across 7,100 identified sites in the country, said Union minister Shripad Yesso Naik on Thursday.

Addressing a curtain raiser event ahead of the Bharat Renewable Energy Summit & Expo 2026, the minister of state for power and new & renewable energy said that small hydropower has a distinctive role in clean energy transition and can contribute to the country's energy security, decentralised generation, employment and socioeconomic development in remote areas. He said that renewable energy has emerged as a powerful instrument of energy security, economic growth, technological progress and employment generation.

India has crossed the milestone of 300 GW of installed non-fossil-fuel capacity, he said, adding that the strength of India's energy transition lies in building a diverse, balanced and resilient energy portfolio suited to its geography, resources and development needs.