The Union Ministry of New and Renewable energy (MNRE), through this initiative, plans to create global consensus about sharing solar resources among quite 140 countries of West Asia and South East Asia.

 

At a later stage, the project envisages getting this grid interconnected with the African power pools.

 

The idea is to utilize solar energy when the sun isn't shining in other parts of the planet by building a standard transmission . The MNRE has invited proposals from consulting firms for creating a long-term OSOWOG road map, and identify two or three cross-border projects which will be initiated within one or two years, “preferably one with each of Middle East , South East and Africa regions considering India as the grid fulcrum for these identified pilots.”

 

Prime Minister NarendraModi, in October 2019, had floated the thought of cross-border solar connectivity. India has already initiated the International Solar Alliance (ISA) which aims to deploy over 1,000 GW of solar generation capacity globally and mobilise investment of over $1 trillion towards by 2030. The ISA, a treaty-based inter-governmental organisation headquartered in Gurgaon, was established following the Paris Declaration as an alliance dedicated to the promotion of solar power among its member countries.

 

The government is already getting to connect more neighbouring countries through a regional power system  which can be used to supply electricity to surrounding nations without adequate number of power plants. Apart from Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar and Bangladesh, which already take power from India, there are plans to attach Sri Lanka with power transmission lines as well. Draft procedural guidelines are framed for firms to participate in cross-border electricity trade.