Government plans swadeshi solar cells, ingots and, polysilicon: Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Mr. Pralhad Joshi

The government has expanded the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) initiative to include solar cells, with plans to extend it further to ingots and polysilicon, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Mr. Pralhad Joshi announced on September 11, 2025, during the State Review Meeting on Renewable Energy. The ALMM programme has already enabled over 100 Gigawatt (GW) of domestically manufactured solar module capacity, and similar measures are now being planned for solar cells, ingots, and polysilicon. He highlighted the Rs. 24,000 crore (US$ 2.72 billion) Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for solar modules, which has attracted total investments of Rs. 50,000 crore (US$ 5.66 billion), boosting local manufacturing. He noted that India’s solar equipment manufacturing capacity has grown from 2.4 GW in 2013 to 130 GW today, while wind power capacity has increased from 21 GW to 52 GW.
He also reported that India’s installed non-fossil fuel-based power generation capacity has reached 250 GW, with a government target of 500 GW in the next five years. Significant progress has been made in rooftop solar, and under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSGMBY), installations are expected to rise from 20 lakh to 50 lakh within a month under a new utility-led model. He urged states to address key bottlenecks for solar sector growth, including land availability and clearances, Right of Way (RoW) issues, and delays in signing power purchase agreements (PPAs) by distribution companies, to facilitate additional capacity creation and support India’s renewable energy expansion.

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