India takes centrestage in solutions-based I2U2 outcomes

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By Manish Anand

New Delhi, July 14: The world’s most fledgling strategic group the I2U2 arguably had the most realistic and business-oriented Summit on Thursday, with the leaders committing to solutions for the twin challenges of food and energy insecurity with India at the core of the solutions.

Seen as an evolution of the Abraham Accord, a Donald Trump legacy, the two constituents of the I2U2 – Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – have come together with a strategic pact on the urgings of the US amid the fast changing geo-strategic and security situations in the Middle East, which accords highest priority to the food security.

India has special relations with both the UAE and Israel. India has also emerged as the food bowl of the world, while the landscape is buzzing with the renewable energy harvesting.

In this backdrop, the leaders of the I2U2 issued a joint statement which underlined the UAE committing to investment USD 2 billion in India to set up food parks, which will have strong interplay of technology and the integration of the farmers in the eco-system.

“India will provide appropriate land for the project and will facilitate farmers’ integration into the food parks. U.S. and Israeli private sectors will be invited to lend their expertise and offer innovative solutions that contribute to the overall sustainability of the project. These investments will help maximize crop yields and, in turn, help tackle food insecurity in South Asia and the Middle East,” read the joint statement issued by the leaders at the conclusion of the virtual Summit.

It’s worthwhile to mention that Israel, home to innovative agricultural technology, is already partnering with India in modernizing agriculture, besides promotion the post-production management of the crops, including their packaging and extending shelf life of the perishables.

The UAE, already the third largest trading partner of India, is the top destination of India’s agricultural exports.

Additionally, the U.S. has re-committed to the climate change response efforts after Trump derailed the global efforts by walking out of the Paris declaration. Biden has committed to make up for the loss of time, and he’s bracing for the Sharm el-Sheikh COP27 Summit later this year. The UAE will host the COP28 Summit next year. Thus, the next two key climate change response Summits are in the pipeline in the western Asia, showing the region’s significance for the challenges emerging out of the climate change.

The outcome of the I2U2 Summit demonstrated that India stays at the core of the solutions-based approach of the group for clean energy.

“The I2U2 Group will advance a hybrid renewable energy project in India’s Gujarat consisting of 300 megawatts (MW) of wind and solar capacity complemented by a battery energy storage system. The U.S. Trade and Development Agency funded a feasibility study for the USD 330 million project,” added the joint statement.

The UAE-based companies are exploring opportunities to serve as critical knowledge and investment partners, it also stated.

India has a goal of achieving 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030, while seeking to emerge as a global hub for alternate supply chains in the renewable energy sector.

The joints statement also noted India’s interest in joining the United States, the UAE, and Israel in the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate initiative (AIM for Climate).

While India has emerged as the focal point for the search for solutions for the food and energy security, New Delhi will be pleased since Israel is the innovation capital of the world, while the U.S. and the UAE have the capital to help the faster adoption of the new technologies.