India: Energy Law

The MNRE vide its advisory dated 21.08.2026 has advised Renewable Energy Implementing Agencies (“REIAs”) to consider extension of Scheduled Commencement of Supply Date (“SCSD”) and Scheduled Commissioning Date (“SCD”) on account of Force Majeure event due to West Asia Situation.

The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026 (Act No. 20 of 2026) (MMDR Amendment Act) received Presidential assent and was published in the Gazette of India on 17 August 2026, further amending the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act).

For listed companies, preparing the Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR) involves collecting data from multiple departments, consolidating performance indicators and ensuring that disclosures are complete, consistent and finalized within the reporting timeline. Companies must ensure that each disclosure is supported by reliable data, documented calculation methodologies and adequate records, with a clear basis for how the reported figures have been derived and validated. These requirements become particularly relevant as companies prepare for BRSR Core assessment or assurance.

India's power sector stands at a defining moment. For over a decade, the industry's focus has been on one objective: adding capacity. That objective has largely been achieved. Today, India is among the world's largest electricity markets, with a rapidly expanding generation fleet, significant renewable energy deployment, and ambitious plans to support economic growth, industrialization, and energy security.

India's Ministry of Home Affairs has introduced mandatory security clearance guidelines for renewable energy projects in sensitive border areas, requiring developers to navigate complex approval processes...

National security has been a cornerstone of India’s patent legislation since its inception. Section 4 of the Indian Patents Act, 1970, exemplifies this priority by imposing an absolute bar on patenting inventions related to atomic energy. This prohibition has historically reflected the government’s exclusive control over nuclear technology and the strategic sensitivity associated with atomic energy. However, India’s evolving clean-energy objectives are driving a significant policy transformation.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India (GoI), vide Office Memorandum (OM) dated 25 May 2026, has proposed a structured One-Time Relief Package (Proposed Relief Package) to address cases where Letters of Award (LoAs) have been issued by Renewable Energy Implementing Agencies (REIAs), acting as Intermediary Procurers, but Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and Power Sale Agreements (PSAs) remain unsigned as on 30 April 2026.

The period from April to June 2026 witnessed significant legislative, regulatory, and judicial developments across India's energy, infrastructure, and natural resources sectors. Notable developments included key reforms across power, renewable energy, mining, coal, petroleum, highways, ports, and maritime sectors, alongside measures to strengthen infrastructure delivery, environmental governance, industrial safety, and energy security.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has issued operational guidelines for implementing the Small Hydro Power Development Scheme for projects from 1 MW to 25 MW capacity for FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31, with a total financial outlay of Rs. 2,584.60 crore. MNRE has ruled out blanket extension of the ALMM List-II deadline while allowing project-specific exemptions for Net-Metering and Open Access renewable energy projects that have completed installation or taken effective steps toward grounding before June