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India’s Solar Manufacturing Sector at a Crossroads: Can It Scale to Meet 2030 Targets?

As India targets 500 GW of renewable energy by 2030, scaling domestic solar manufacturing has emerged as a critical concern. This was the central theme of the panel discussion, "Meeting the Surge—Scaling Module Manufacturing and Critical Components in India," held at the REconnect Summit in New Delhi.

Moderated by Rajesh Kumar Jain, former Technical Advisor to ISA, the session featured insights from Dr. Pushprai Mishra (Government of India) and Alok Agarwal (SAEL). Panelists acknowledged India’s impressive growth to over 242 GW of installed RE capacity by July 2025, but warned that a major manufacturing ramp-up is needed. While module capacity has reached 80 GW annually, solar cell production lags at just 20 GW—far below the required 55–60 GW.

Supply chain dependencies on imports for critical components like solar glass and encapsulants were highlighted as a risk. The panel also flagged the impact of the Approved List of Cell Manufacturers (ALMM) compliance by mid-2026, which could raise prices by 20–25%.

The discussion called for consistent policies, extended PLI coverage, FTAs for tech transfer, and workforce upskilling. Without strategic shifts and quality controls, India may risk achieving capacity without ownership. As speakers noted, self-reliance must include full value chain control, not just project execution.