India’s solar industry seeks Rs 25,000 crore support for domestic manufacturing

New Delhi: India's solar equipment industry has sought a dedicated viability gap funding (VGF) of ₹20,000-25,000 crore from the government for 50 GW of domestic ingot and wafer manufacturing capacity as part of its recommendations for targeted policy support to build an upstream solar ecosystem.

The National Solar Energy Federation of India, representing 85% of active solar manufacturers, also suggested to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy that 10% of the VGF support go to the ancillary solar equipment industry.

It also sought an incentive package of ₹3,000-4,000 crore to promote domestic machinery and equipment used in solar manufacturing lines.


India remains reliant on imported equipment for wafering, crystal pulling and process control, said an industry executive.

The association said that this support should be given through either the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme or under a separate one.

The suggestions came after an annual manufacturing roundtable with the members of the association on positioning India as a global solar manufacturing hub.

Ingot and wafer manufacturing entails capital expenditure of about ₹1,000 crore per GW.