In an exclusive Moneycontrol report, India and Saudi Arabia are moving ahead with plans for a proposed undersea electricity transmission link estimated to cost around $9 billion. The project would span roughly 2,100 km and have a transmission capacity of 3 GW through a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) system. A high-level meeting on October 5 will review the project’s feasibility, economics and ways to reduce its projected cost.
The feasibility study, conducted over about a year, has now been completed and is expected to be presented to the Joint Working Group on Energy. The proposed connection would enable electricity to flow between India and Saudi Arabia, supporting cross-border power exchange and potentially improving energy security. It could also help both countries integrate more renewable energy into their power systems.
The latest estimated cost of about $9 billion is significantly higher than the roughly $5 billion figure associated with the project when it was initially proposed. The October 5 discussions are therefore expected to focus on whether the project can be made commercially viable and how its overall cost can be brought down.
The project is also linked to India’s broader One Sun One World One Grid (OSOWOG) vision of connecting electricity grids across countries to facilitate renewable power sharing. India is separately exploring possible power interconnections with the UAE, Oman, Singapore, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, although the India-Saudi project has progressed further through a detailed feasibility assessment.
The proposed link follows the energy cooperation framework established by India and Saudi Arabia in 2023. The two countries signed an MoU covering electrical interconnections, including electricity exchange during peak periods and emergencies, as well as cooperation in renewable energy and green hydrogen.
The October 5 meeting is expected to include officials from India’s Central Transmission Utility, the Central Electricity Authority, the power ministries of both countries and Saudi Arabia’s National Electricity Transmission Company.
