Expansion of ALMM to ingots & wafers will boost domestic manufacturing, cut imports

New Delhi: The government’s move to extend ALMM to include ingots and wafers will allow domestic players to control the solar manufacturing chain and reduce import dependence, industry players said.

On March 18, the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) announced including ingots and wafers into the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) — which was limited modules and cells earlier — to strengthen local solar manufacturing ecosystem and its usage in the domestic market.

A solar panel requires modules that contain cells, and cell manufacturing needs ingot for which wafer is necessary. The government has been continuously pushing the local industry to manufacture all components in India for its local application.

Renewable energy industry players said a complete value chain developed in India will not only boost investments and reduce dependency on imports.

Terming it a “smart move”, Sameer Gupta, the Chairman of diversified Jakson Group, said the extension finally lets Indian players control the full chain solar manufacturing. It is a robust step towards Atmanirbhar Bharat.

ALMM-III will help bring down imports sharply and encourage the industry towards adoption of India-made solar products, Gupta noted.

Vinay Rustagi, Chief Business Officer, Premier Energies, said, “Currently, a significant portion of our demand for solar wafers is met from imports, making the sector highly prone to supply shocks, exchange rate volatility and trade disruption. We expect total investment of around Rs 50,000 crore in this business over the next three years, bringing tens of thousands of jobs plus special tech know-how.”

Piyush Goyal, Co-Founder and CEO, Volks Energie, said local supply chains will ensure smooth supplies for RE projects being developed and those that will be planned and executed in the future.

“Over the last few years, whether it was Covid disruptions, freight spikes, or ongoing trade tensions, access to key components hasn’t always been predictable. For a sector scaling as fast as solar in India, that kind of dependence becomes a real risk,” Goyal noted. Manish Dabkara, Chairman & MD of EKI Energy Services, said this policy is not just about import substitution, but securing long-term energy sovereignty.