NEW DELHI: The International Solar Alliance ( ISA ), a coalition of 121 solar-rich countries to address energy needs, will become a legal entity on December 9, during French President Emmanuel Macron ’s three-day visit to India.Though the finer details of Macron’s visit are still being worked out, the French President would join Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the first ISA summit to see the formal operationalisation of the group.An Indian initiative to forge a global coalition to harness solar energy, ISA was jointly launched by Modi and the then French President Francois Hollande in Paris on November 30, 2015.“We are preparing an important event in India, the first ISA summit, during President Macron’s visit in December. My objective — and we are working hand in hand with India on it — is to make significant progress by December in setting up the ISA,” Brune Poirson , French minister of state for ecological and inclusive transition, told TOI.Asked whether it is a matter of concern that only nine countries have, so far, ratified the ISA framework agreement, Poirson expressed confidence that the ISA would certainly get ratification from the minimum 15 countries — a requirement for the alliance to become operational as a legal body — before the December 9 summit.She, however, said, “We need to accelerate the implementation of the ISA, so that we can bring concrete solutions to the people.” The minister was here on a three-day visit to prepare for Macron’s visit.Though the ISA framework agreement was opened for signature during the COP22 ( UN climate conference) at Marrakesh, Morocco, on November 15 last year, only 39 of 121 countries have, so far, signed it, with only nine of them ratifying it. The countries that have ratified it as on date are India, France, Bangladesh, Fiji, Mauritius, Republic of Nauru, Niger, Seychelles and Tuvalu.The alliance was conceived by India in early 2015 to present solar-rich nations as an effective group to get financial and technological support from investors for the green form of energy.Most of the countries, lying fully or partially between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, get nearly 300 days of good sunshine a year and are therefore most suited to move on the solar energy path if they get cutting-edge technology and adequate investment.