By Ayushi Agarwal

Khavda/ Mundra (Gujarat) [India], March 7 (ANI):A delegation of women Ambassadors and High Commissioners from nine nations visited Khavda and Mundra in Gujarat to witness the Adani projects, where renewable energy is a cornerstone of environmental stewardship.

Ahead of International Women's Day, the envoys visited the world's largest renewable energy park, run by Adani Green Energy in Khavda, Gujarat, and India's largest commercial port, operated by Adani Ports and SEZ Limited, in Mundra.

The envoys were amazed to see women professionals and engineers contributing to India's industrial, economic and energy transformation, underlining the growing role of women in shaping the country's future.

Adani Green Energy, India's largest renewables company, is developing the world's largest clean energy plant. Built across 538 square kilometers, it is five times the size of Paris and almost as large as Mumbai.

The delegation comprised of women Ambassadors and High Commissioners from countries like Indonesia, Lithuania, Moldova, Romania, Seychelles, Slovenia, Lesotho, Estonia, and Luxembourg.

While speaking with ANI, the envoys shared their insights on visiting the sites of the projects in Gujarat, which left them all 'impressed' and said that it was a learning experience about how the company is helping India advance towards its zero-emissions goals.

Ina Krisnamurthi, Ambassador of Indonesia to India, while speaking with ANI, said, 'This is an amazing visit for us, not only me as a person or an Ambassador. But as Indonesia , as a country that has a very deep rooted relationship with Adani group.'

She added, 'Adani has invested in Indonesia for a long time, so this visit has been very enlightening and very important for us to understand where India stands now and where Adani is now. So it's been an amazing visit. Hospitality is excellent.'

Emphasising the collaborative efforts between their countries and India to foster cleaner and greener solutions for the region and beyond, the Envoys of Lithuania and Seychelles underscored the importance of sustainable energy and said that there is a lot that can be learned from the Adani group in terms of large-scale expansion to achieve a 'win-win collaboration' between countries.

Diana Mickeviciene, Ambassador of Lithuania to India to ANI, said, 'I am participating in this great visit because the business developed here is relevant to my country, Lithuania. We have solar technologies and ports, and we look forward to establishing contacts for cooperation.'

She said, 'I was inspired by what I saw. A couple of things stand out: the 'scale' and 'sense of mission'. It is a very strategically placed objective. Using a landscape which is barren and developed to make it useful to the country in strategic ways. The high-level technology that we saw was outstanding.'

'What we have seen today, first is hard work and second it was a big vision. Very impressed by the scale of project that we have seen. I am looking forward to propose it to my county, to take from your experience. You as a country should be proud to have this kind of project', added Ana Taban - Ambassador of Moldova to India.

Khavda is a remote site in Western India's arid Kutch district, where Adani Green Energy, the largest renewables company in India, is developing the world's largest clean energy plant. The 30 GW solar and wind energy project will play a critical anchor role in meeting India's rising energy demands with clean, affordable and sustainable power.

The Ambassadors saw firsthand how the hybrid solar-wind project is integrating cutting-edge technology with sustainable development, including an all-women Energy Network Operations Centre (ENOC) overseeing the complex operations in Khavda.

Sena Latif, Ambassador of Romania to India, said, 'It was an impressive experience. We read about it but none of us expected the scope of this project. The Khavda site is absolutely impressive. They told us that it is five times the size of Paris.'

She added, 'It's really extraordinary how the whole society is being transformed and built over here. Impressive to see so many women involved, women engineers, young women. In Mundra, also, where we have just visited we saw how women are themselves contributing. It is impressive to see how the whole ecosystem is prepared by the Adani group.'

Peggy Frantzen, Ambassador of Luxembourg to India, said, 'I am very thankful for this opportunity offered to our women Ambassadors to India to visit this solar power park, which is really very impressive by its size and by the effort that went into building it.'

She added, 'In my country, which is small in size, we have solar panels on our rooftop, but it's really magnificent to see power panels of this size. Impressive job. Women who worked there were very committed to the project, which produced green energy. Good to encourage young women to realise what they are capable to do well typically in a field not chosen by Women.'.

The envoys further visited the Mundra Port, India's largest commercial port handling nearly 11 percent of the country's maritime cargo and 33 per cent of its container traffic. The women Ambassadors explored the Electronics Manufacturing Cluster (EMC)in the Mundra Special Economic Zone (SEZ), where global players are investing in advanced manufacturing.

Lalatiana Accouche, High Commissioner of Seychelles to India, said, 'Since morning, we have been visiting very important and interesting places. It's very beneficial, especially for Seychelles. I have been learning a lot. Seychelles is very well known for the conservation of environment. So, I have been learning a lot. Getting ideas from what can be done.'

She added, 'Seychelles is a small country. We have a port, but seeing how it been developed here, gives me an idea where we can collaborate. We can learn from Adani group, about the management and expansion of the port and can be a win- win collaboration.'

The envoys also visited Adani group's state-of-the-art solar manufacturing plant, a key spoke in India's push for self-reliance in renewable energy. Across these facilities, the Ambassadors met women professionals and engineers contributing to India's industrial, economic and energy transformation, underlining the growing role of women in shaping the country's future.

Mateja Vodeb Ghosh, Ambassador of Slovenia to India, said, 'It is my first visit to this area. I must say that I am very pleasantly surprised. Not only that..., but when we saw the solar plant, solar panels and the port, it's state-of-the-art, I would say; it's very high technology.'

She added, 'I was surprised that there was so much emphasis on women's empowerment, and it was very nice to see young girls and women being engaged and encouraged to contribute to the development of the county. So, I had a very nice and pleasant experience. Kudos to the Adani Foundation, which is doing an excellent job.'

Highlighting India's strides in clean energy, the Ambassador of Estonia to India appreciated India's industrial development and said that the country is 'well equipped' to use renewable energy.

'We had an excellent and magnificent experience here. It was impressive to see the scale of the Khavda. I knew that it was big. We also have solar plants in Estonia, but I didn't imagine it to be so big. It's extremely important that we are now using renewable energy. India is very well equipped. In northern countries like Estonia, we don't have as much sun, and we don't even have as much wind as India. So, we are struggling a little bit with those challenges. But it is very impressive to see that solar energy has been put into use to this extent', added Ambassador Marje Luup. (ANI)