A top Democratic senator recently introduced a legislation in the US Senate to launch a forum for bilateral collaboration with India on clean energy technologies and energy transmission.

Introduced by Senator Robert Menendez, a ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the Prioritizing Clean Energy and Climate Cooperation with India Act inaugurates the United States-India Clean Energy and Power Transmission Partnership (CEPTP) as the chief forum for collaboration between the two nations on clean energy technologies and energy transmission.

The activities under the CEPTP comprises of endorsing joint research and development on clean energy technologies, boosting US private investment in the Indian clean energy marketplace and backing up initiatives to improve new and renewable energy generation capacity in India.

The legislation also encourages US-India cooperation on climate resilience and risk reduction, as per a statement.

Menendez said, "Given the shared threat of climate change and India's growing need for electricity, there is a strong case to be made for firming the US-India clean energy partnership".

"In that vein, I am announcing this legislation having witnessed first-hand the positive results that come when our nations work as a team to confront common challenges," he said.

Menendez was also a part of a congressional delegation to India in the fall of 2019, during which he involved with India's minister of New and Renewable Energy and Indian business leaders to talk over how the US and India can address the threat of climate change and extend assistance on clean energy production.

Menendez also further stated, "By establishing the US-India Clean Energy and Power Transmission Partnership, we are laying the groundwork for successful partnerships between not only the US and Indian governments, but also our universities and private sectors. I am proud to lead this effort to further strengthen our relationship with India".

The legislation also pursues to encourage lawful partaking of intellectual property between US and Indian private sector units for renewable energy technology, refrigeration systems technology and air conditioning technology.