Shell is selling its Indian wind and solar business for $1.8bn as it continues to retrench from renewables and refocus on its most profitable areas under chief executive Wael Sawan.

The FTSE 100 company announced the sale of Sprng Energy to Aditya Birla Renewables, part of the Mumbai‑headquartered Aditya Birla conglomerate. Machteld de Haan, Shell’s president of downstream, renewables and energy solutions, said the company was “high‑grading” its electricity portfolio.

Sprng Energy owns 3.3 gigawatts‑peak of operating solar and wind farms and 1.7GWp of contracted projects, making it a major player in India’s growing renewables market. The sale comes as Shell also prepares to offload offshore wind projects worldwide.

Since taking over in January 2023, Wael Sawan has aimed to boost shareholder returns and cut costs; net debt rose from $45.7bn to $52.6bn by Q1 2026. Shell’s renewable ambitions have been dialled back, with a focus on flexible generation such as gas‑fired plants and batteries.