India Boosts Solar Manufacturing: Aims to Close Gap Between Cell and Module Production.

India is taking a significant step towards self-reliance in the solar sector, with the government targeting a massive expansion of its domestic solar photovoltaic (PV) cell manufacturing capacity. The goal is to bring cell production in line with the nation's booming solar module capacity, which has seen rapid growth.

Sources within the government reveal a plan to increase PV cell manufacturing from its current capacity of around 27 gigawatts (GW) to 42 GW by early 2027. The long-term ambition is even more aggressive, with a target of over 90 GW. This strategy mirrors the successful expansion of India's solar module capacity, which currently stands at 92 GW and is projected to reach 125 GW by 2030.

The government attributes the swift growth in module manufacturing to schemes like the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, which provided a strong push to the industry. Officials are now looking to apply a similar strategy to the solar cell sector to close the gap between domestic cell and module production. This move is seen as crucial for strengthening the country's solar supply chain and reducing its reliance on imports.