India is moving towards building a fully self-reliant solar industry, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi said on September 11. The government’s target is to start making indigenous solar cells, wafers, and ingots by 2028, reducing dependence on imports.
“India is now going beyond just solar modules. We are planning to build domestic capacity for wafers, ingots, and even polysilicon, which will complete the solar manufacturing ecosystem within the country,” Joshi told reporters. He said this step will cut imports, create jobs, attract investment, and strengthen India’s position as a global clean energy leader.
So far, about ₹50,000 crore has been invested in the solar manufacturing sector. India’s solar module capacity has already touched 100 GW, but solar cell capacity is only 27 GW, while ingot and wafer capacity is just 2.2 GW. Most factories still rely on cheap imports from China for these key materials.
The government is preparing a roadmap for wafers and ingots, and will soon announce plans for polysilicon production as well. This comes ahead of the ALMM rule for cells, which will be implemented in June 2026. Under this rule, only locally-made solar cells will be allowed in government projects.
Joshi also highlighted progress on India’s clean energy goals, saying the country has already crossed 251.5 GW of non-fossil power capacity, more than halfway to the 2030 target of 500 GW.
On the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, he said nearly 20 lakh households have benefited so far and urged states to ensure quality, timely agreements, and fair tariff credits.
For the PM-KUSUM scheme, Joshi said it is now gaining momentum after a slow start. The second phase of the scheme will be launched after the current phase ends in March 2026.
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