In a pivotal development, India has signed the Host Country Agreement (HCA) with the Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA), officially facilitating the establishment of the Alliance’s Secretariat in the country. The agreement was executed on Friday by Dammu Ravi, Secretary for Economic Relations in the Ministry of External Affairs, and Pankaj Jain, Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, who is currently the Interim Director General of the GBA. The Union Cabinet had previously approved the signing and ratification of this agreement on October 3.
This agreement is set to enable the GBA to establish its Secretariat in India, staffed with a blend of Indian and international personnel, to help the Alliance achieve its objectives. The Ministry announced that the HCA would assist GBA in establishing its Secretariat in India, which will include both Indian and international staff to help GBA achieve its goals.
Moreover, the agreement confers legal status to the GBA, granting it privileges and immunities under the United Nations (Privileges and Immunities) Act of 1947, thus ensuring the effective execution of its functions in compliance with Indian laws. The Global Biofuels Alliance was inaugurated on September 9, 2023, during India’s G20 Presidency, with contributions from the Indian Prime Minister and leaders from eight other countries, including Bangladesh, Argentina, Brazil, Mauritius, Singapore, Italy, the UAE, and the USA.
This unique multi-stakeholder initiative is designed to enhance the global adoption of biofuels by tackling critical challenges, such as ensuring feedstock availability, creating favorable policy frameworks, and improving the biomass supply chain. The GBA also aims to attract investment in biofuel production, particularly for clean cooking, and to establish common technical standards and certifications for biofuels.
Since its inception, the Alliance has experienced remarkable growth, expanding its membership to 27 countries and 12 international organizations within less than a year. The ministry noted that the establishment of the GBA Secretariat in India is likely to generate new job opportunities for Indian biofuel specialists and provide a platform for the private sector to display its innovations and expertise in the biofuels sector. This initiative supports India’s “Atmanirbhar Bharat” (self-reliant India) vision by strengthening domestic capabilities and contributing to global sustainable energy efforts.
