India's clean energy sector is expected to create 7.29 million jobs by FY28, but industry leaders say the country must strengthen training in artificial intelligence (AI), engineering and vocational skills to meet future workforce requirements.

Speaking at India Energy Storage Week (IESW) 2026, experts said the rapid expansion of renewable energy, battery storage and grid technologies is changing the type of skills employers require. According to estimates shared during the event, 1.2 million to 1.5 million new jobs are expected to be added in FY27, while nearly 70% of new green jobs will require digital or technology-related skills.

The discussion, held around World Youth Skills Day, focused on the need to prepare workers for changing industry requirements through targeted education and training.

Maddisetty Venugopal Rao, Chairman and Managing Director of Pace Digitek Limited, said India has made progress in clean energy through government support for renewable energy and digital infrastructure. He said expanding specialised courses in AI and advanced engineering, along with stronger partnerships between industry and educational institutions, would help build the required workforce.

Bharat S. Chhittarka, Managing Director of Trex Energy, said the industry continues to face a shortage of electrical engineers, particularly in areas such as AC power conversion and system integration. He called for greater emphasis on electrical engineering education and practical training.

Apoorv Shalugram, Co-founder and CEO of e-TRNL Energy, said technical work in battery manufacturing and materials development requires specialised knowledge that cannot be replaced by automation. He said dedicated training programmes would help address skill shortages in the sector.

Anirudh Saraswat, Founder and Chief Business Officer of TrueRE Oriana Power, said AI is being used for applications including predictive maintenance, power generation forecasting, grid optimisation and energy trading. He said expanding vocational education and improving digital infrastructure would help develop the workforce needed by the renewable energy industry.

Gaurav Dolwani, CEO of Lico Materials, said battery technology should receive greater attention in higher education to support the growing demand for expertise in battery manufacturing, recycling and second-life applications.

India Energy Storage Week 2026 brought together more than 10,000 visitors, 1,000 delegates and over 200 exhibitors to discuss developments in energy storage, renewable energy and workforce requirements.