New Delhi: India has emerged as the world’s third-largest solar power producer, overtaking Japan in a remarkable leap within just a decade.
According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), India generated 1,08,494 GWh of solar energy in 2025, compared to Japan’s 96,459 GWh.
As of July 2025, India’s installed solar capacity reached 119.02 GW, comprising 90.99 GW from ground-mounted projects, 19.88 GW from rooftop systems, 3.06 GW from hybrid plants, and 5.09 GW from off-grid setups. Overall renewable capacity stood at 227 GW, reflecting a 4,000 per cent rise in solar power within 10 years. India’s solar potential is estimated at 748 GW, with Rajasthan, Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh identified as leading hubs. Palli village in J&K, which became the nation’s first carbon-neutral panchayat, highlights the grassroots impact of solar adoption.
A series of flagship schemes has powered this growth. The PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijlee Yojana, with an outlay of Rs 75,021 crore, targets one crore households with up to 300 free solar-powered units per month. Subsidies range from Rs 30,000 for 1 kW systems to Rs 78,000 for 3 kW and above. Similarly, the PM-KUSUM Scheme enables farmers to replace diesel pumps with solar alternatives, with subsidies of 30–50 per cent, and also supports farmer-owned solar plants of up to 2 MW.
Large-scale deployment is being driven by the Solar Parks and Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects Scheme, with 53 parks (39,323 MW) sanctioned across 13 states. Of these, 26 parks are operational with 13,896 MW capacity. Additionally, the PM JANMAN initiative earmarks Rs 515 crore for electrifying one lakh tribal households through solar power.
On the manufacturing front, India’s solar ecosystem has rapidly scaled up. Module production capacity surged from 38 GW in March 2024 to 74 GW in March 2025, while PV cell capacity rose from 9 GW to 25 GW. The country also commissioned its first 2 GW ingot-wafer facility, strengthening the domestic supply chain. Since 2014, PV cell capacity has expanded 21-fold and module capacity 34-fold. To promote local manufacturing, the government has mandated Indian-made panels in key schemes and imposed a Basic Customs Duty on imports since 2022.
India’s COP26 pledge of 500 GW non-fossil capacity by 2030 drives a solar revolution that cuts emissions, boosts rural livelihoods, ensures energy independence, and positions the nation as a global leader in clean energy transition.