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India Targets Complete ‘Swadeshi’ Solar Value Chain by 2028

The Indian government is preparing a roadmap to develop a fully indigenous solar value chain, covering wafers, ingots, and polysilicon by 2028, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi announced. Currently, India has strong module and cell capacities but relies heavily on imports—especially from China—for wafers and polysilicon. To bridge this gap, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) plans to introduce an Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM)-like mechanism for wafers and ingots, similar to the system already in place for modules and soon for cells.

Present wafer capacity in India stands at just 2.2 GW, compared to over 100 GW of solar PV module capacity and 27 GW of solar cell manufacturing capacity. The government has already set a 2026 target for fully indigenous solar cells, with wafer and ingot production expected to align within the next 2–3 years. The long-term goal is to also establish domestic polysilicon capacity, ensuring a complete “swadeshi” solar manufacturing ecosystem.

Alongside manufacturing push, India has completed 2 million rooftop solar installations under the PM Surya Ghar Yojana, with plans to scale up to 5 million installations soon. The initiative is critical for achieving India’s net-zero target by 2070 and the broader renewable energy capacity goal of 1,800 GW by 2047.