India, Saudi Arabia Review Electrical Interconnection Plan

Pankaj Agarwal, Secretary in the Ministry of Power, held a virtual bilateral meeting with Nasser Al-Qahtani, Assistant Minister of Energy for Electricity Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to take stock of the India-Saudi Arabia Electrical Interconnection initiative. The meeting was reported on 19 October 2026 and also looked at ways of widening cooperation across the power sector.

The interconnection project

An electrical interconnection is a transmission link that lets two power systems exchange electricity. The two sides reviewed how far the proposed link between India and Saudi Arabia has progressed, and they held that it carries real potential to deepen energy cooperation between the two countries. Both delegations exchanged views on the road ahead and stressed that engagement has to be sustained if the project is to move forward.

What else the two sides discussed

Beyond the link itself, the officials explored other areas of mutual interest in the power sector, with the accent on technical collaboration, sharing of knowledge and exchange of best practices. Saudi Arabia set out four specific areas where it wants closer work with India:

• Extra High Voltage (EHV) transmission systems, used to move bulk power over long distances with lower losses
• Technical and operational problems that arise when a larger share of renewable energy is fed into the grid
• Ways of meeting the fast-growing power demand of data centres
• Updating of grid codes so that they match changing power system needs

Why this matters

India's energy ties with West Asia have usually been read through oil and gas, so a cross-border power link marks a different kind of partnership, one built on grids rather than cargo. The areas Saudi Arabia raised also show where both systems are heading: more renewable generation, heavier loads from digital infrastructure, and the rule-making needed to keep such a grid stable. Both sides reaffirmed that they would keep up a constructive dialogue to deepen the partnership in the power sector.