India is racing to establish a fully indigenous solar manufacturing ecosystem by 2028, with plans to produce not just solar modules but also cells, wafers and ingots domestically, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi announced on September 11, 2025.
Speaking at the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s (MNRE) state review meeting, Joshi said this move will slash import dependence, create jobs, attract investments and position India as a global clean energy powerhouse.
Meanwhile, India has already crossed 251.5 gigawatt (GW) of non-fossil installed capacity — achieving over half of its 2030 target of 500 GW — and hit 50 per cent of total installed power capacity from non-fossil fuels five years ahead of schedule.
Joshi said nearly two million households have benefited under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, with almost half paying zero electricity bills, and announced that the second phase of the PM-KUSUM scheme will be launched after March 2026. He noted that PM-KUSUM, after initial reluctance, has gained strong momentum and is now seeing demand for additional allocations from states.
Urging states to expedite Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPOs), PPAs, and land allotments, Joshi warned against delaying procurement in hopes of further tariff drops. He called for single-window clearances, lower compliances, and swift resolution of right-of-way and law-and-order hurdles to strengthen ease of doing business and boost investor confidence.
He highlighted that the Rs 24,000 crore PLI scheme has helped India build 100 GW of solar module capacity, attract Rs 50,000 crore in investments and create over 12,600 direct jobs. The recent Goods and Services Tax cut on renewable energy devices from 12 per cent to 5 per cent will further accelerate adoption, he added.
Minister of State Shripad Naik said over 1.6 million solar pumps have been installed or solarised under PM-KUSUM, cutting diesel use by 1.3 billion litres annually and CO2 emissions by 40 million tonnes. Under Surya Ghar, 4,500 systems are being installed daily by 18,000 vendors nationwide.
MNRE Secretary Santosh Kumar Sarangi said India aims for 1,800 GW renewable capacity by 2047 and 5,000 GW by 2070 to reach net zero.