India expands solar manufacturing capacity
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India increased its solar module manufacturing capacity by 50.6 gigawatts (GW) and cell manufacturing capacity by 9.7 GW during the first half of 2026, according to a report by Mercom India.
As of June 2026, the country’s total solar module manufacturing capacity reached 261.7 GW, while cell manufacturing capacity totaled 36.6 GW.
Raj Prabhu, CEO at Mercom Capital Group, stated that a shortage of domestically produced cells is now the biggest challenge for India’s solar market, as module production has grown faster than cell supply. This imbalance is increasing costs and slowing down project development, with many manufacturers struggling to maintain production levels. New production lines require months to become fully operational, and a government list requiring domestic cell supply has added to the pressure.
TOPCon technology dominated the manufacturing capacity listed on the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM), accounting for 80% of the total module capacity as of June 2026. Gujarat state led the way in solar module manufacturing, holding nearly 45% of the country’s total capacity, followed by Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu.
Despite the growth in domestic production, India’s imports of solar cells and modules rose by 18% between the first halves of 2025 and 2026, with cells making up the vast majority of imports. The United States received 92% of India’s solar exports during this period.
