India is moving towards building solar infrastructure based on Swadesh solar value chain with a focus on indigenous manufacturing by 2028.This has been underlined by the Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi while speaking at the State Review Meeting on Renewable Energy organised by Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.he said that India is now advancing beyond modules to develop domestic capacity for wafers and ingots as well, ensuring that the entire solar manufacturing ecosystem is established within India. The Minister said that this step will not only reduce import dependence but also generate employment, boost investment, and strengthen India’s position as a global leader in clean energy manufacturing.He appreciated the remarkable efforts of states in advancing renewable energy initiatives, noting that these contributions are strengthening India’s position as a global leader in the sector and highlighted that India’s 2030 vision of achieving 500 GW of non-fossil capacity is already more than halfway achieved, with the country crossing 251.5 GW of non-fossil capacity. He said this is a testament to the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, which transformed India’s clean energy growth and domestic manufacturing in RE sector, and is accelerating the march towards Viksit Bharat.Highlighting the various schemes,the Minister said that nearly 20 lakh households have already benefited under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana. He urged states and DISCOMs to ensure strict quality compliance, finalise agreements without delay, and offer the best possible tariff credits to consumers. On PM-KUSUM, he noted that after initial reluctance, the scheme has now gained strong momentum across states, with demand for additional allocations from Chief Ministers. He announced that the second phase of PM-KUSUM will be launched after the present phase ends in March 2026. While talking on the free electricity, he said that the benefits must be delivered in a financially sustainable way. He pointed out that nearly half the beneficiaries under the PM Surya Ghar Yojana are receiving zero electricity bills, demonstrating a model that combines relief for citizens with long-term sustainability.He underlined that India has also achieved the milestone of 50% of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources five years ahead of schedule. He, however, cautioned that capacity addition must be complemented by effective utilisation, and urged states to expedite Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPOs), power purchase agreements (PPAs), and land allotments in a transparent manner. He emphasised that timely action is the backbone of this system. If we keep delaying procurement on the expectation that tariffs will fall further, we are missing the bigger picture. He urged the states to strengthen Ease of Doing Business in the renewable sector by adopting single-window clearance systems, reducing compliances, and resolving Right of Way and law-and-order issues faced by developers. He stressed that investor confidence hinges on proactive facilitation by state governments.He asked the wind-rich states to come up with time-bound roadmaps for new site allocation and transmission readiness. He welcomed the recent GST cut on renewable energy devices and services from 12% to 5%, which would make solar, wind, biogas, and waste-to-energy systems more affordable. He urged states to promote these technologies more actively.In terms of domestic manufacturing,the Minister highlighted the success of the PLI Scheme for High Efficiency Solar PV Modules with an outlay of ₹24,000 crore. He informed that India now has 100 GW of module manufacturing capacity, ₹50,000 crore investments, and over 12,600 direct jobs created under the scheme.He also emphasised that India’s energy transition will succeed only through collective action by the Centre, states, industry, and citizens. He assured full support from MNRE and invited all stakeholders to share ideas for accelerating the renewable energy growth story.On this occasion Union Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy Shripad Naik said that PM-KUSUM and PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana schemes lie at the heart of our mission to ensure energy security, sustainability, and empowerment of citizens. Shri Naik also said that the PM-KUSUM Scheme has been a true game-changer for our farmers. Out of the 49 lakh solar pumps allocated, over 16 lakhs have already been installed or solarised. This has reduced diesel consumption by 1.3 billion litres annually, cut 40 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions, and saved precious foreign exchange. In PMSGY, installations are happening at the rate of 4,500 systems per day, supported by over 18,000 vendors nationwide. The Minister added that PM KUSUM and PMSGY represent the spirit of India’s energy transition, empowering farmers and households, cutting emissions, creating jobs, and positioning India as a global leader in renewable energy. Industry associations made detailed presentations on current issues in the renewable energy sector. There were also stakeholder consultations on the design and implementation of PM-KUSUM 2.0. These deliberations aimed at aligning state action, industry inputs, and policy reforms to accelerate renewable energy deployment across the country. This is indeed encouraging for making India move on the path of clean and green solar energy so that future energy crises are averted and sustainability is infused in Indian solar energy policy.
