Gender, Energy, and Diplomacy: India's Digital Contribution to the Solar for She Program

The International Solar Alliance’s (ISA) Solar for She initiative seeks to advance gender equity and social inclusion by increasing women’s access to solar energy, creating livelihood opportunities, and building local capacities in solar technologies. This paper situates Solar for She within India’s broader solar diplomacy and examines how India’s digital leadership—through capacity-building platforms, data-driven project design, and multilateral convening—strengthens global collaboration on gender-responsive solar deployment. Drawing on ISA policy documents, government releases, and contemporary analyses, this article maps the initiative’s objectives, instruments, and potential impacts while identifying implementation challenges and policy recommendations to maximize developmental and diplomatic returns.