New Delhi, Dec. 7 -- India plans to mandate full interoperability across smart electricity meters to avoid vendor lock-ins and give utilities greater flexibility, Power Ministry Secretary Pankaj Agarwal said on Sunday.

Speaking on the sidelines of the National Conference on the Use of AI/ML in the Power Distribution Sector, Agarwal said the government wants meters from different manufacturers to operate seamlessly on common protocols.

"There should not be any locking between any manufacturer and any protocol. That's the next level of flexibility we are looking for," he said, adding that the rollout target could be set for April 2026 or January 2027.

On India's long-term energy mix, Agarwal said the country plans to maintain 307 gigawat...