India expands solar module manufacturing capacity by 50.6 GW in 1H 2026

India added 50.6 GW of solar module manufacturing capacity and 9.7 GW of solar cell manufacturing capacity during the first half of 2026. According to a report by Mercom India, the top 10 manufacturers currently account for nearly 60% of the nation's module manufacturing capacity.

To support industrial growth, the government has implemented the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for high-efficiency solar modules. While recent progress has focused on scaling capacity, industry discussions are shifting toward capability ownership, emphasizing the need for domestic access to critical materials, production equipment, and technical expertise to reduce external dependence.

In regulatory developments, the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) ruled that renewable energy certificates issued for self-consumption at cogeneration facilities are non-tradable. Additionally, the Chhattisgarh State Electricity Regulatory Commission has proposed mandatory battery energy storage systems (BESS) for new distributed renewable energy projects exceeding 5 MW starting April 1, 2027.