Pushing self-reliance in renewables, India eyes incentives for domestic solar ingot and wafer production, with ALMM inclusion planned. A full ‘Swadeshi’ solar value chain? Says Minister.
The central government is preparing incentives to encourage local manufacturing of solar ingots and wafers, a step aimed at strengthening India’s solar value chain. Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi confirmed that both products are likely to be included in the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) soon.
At present, India has no large-scale manufacturing base for polysilicon, ingots or wafers. Polysilicon is processed into ingots, which are then cut into wafers, forming the backbone of solar photovoltaic (PV) technology.
Joshi said on the sidelines of a conference on green hydrogen that the country was moving towards Swadeshi wafers and ingots, and that the trajectory for their inclusion in the ALMM was almost finalised.
The Minister also hinted at possible policy support, similar to the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, though details are yet to be announced. Earlier, addressing State officials, he underlined the shift from module manufacturing towards building a complete domestic ecosystem. He added that, having achieved the target of indigenous solar cells by 2028, an expansion to wafers and ingots is also underway.
Highlighting progress, Joshi noted that the ₹240-billion PLI scheme for high-efficiency solar modules has already delivered significant gains. India now has 100GW of module manufacturing capacity, around ₹500 billion in fresh investments, and more than 12,600 new jobs.
On broader renewable targets, he said India has installed 251.5GW of non-fossil fuel capacity so far, against the 2030 goal of 500GW. The Minister urged States to expedite renewable purchase obligations, land allotments, and power purchase agreements, cautioning that delays undermine growth.
He further called on wind-rich states to prepare roadmaps for site allocation and transmission readiness, emphasising that timely action and ease of doing business are crucial to maintaining investor confidence in the renewable energy sector.
