India imported over 352 lakh solar modules worth USD 1.69 billion from China in FY25, despite having a domestic manufacturing capacity of around 100 GW, as per the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India, has revealed that India imported 352.57 lakh solar photovoltaic (PV) modules worth USD 1.69 billion from China in the financial year 2025, despite possessing significant domestic production capacity.
According to MNRE, India’s approved domestic manufacturing capacity of solar modules stood at nearly 100 GW as per the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) issued on August 13, 2025. The ALMM is a regulatory mechanism aimed at ensuring quality standards and encouraging domestic production in the renewable energy sector.
The government highlighted that imports remain high despite policy measures such as the Basic Customs Duty (BCD) on imported solar modules and Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes to promote indigenous manufacturing.
Industry experts suggest that the reliance on imports stems from pricing competitiveness, supply chain dependencies, and the high demand for rapid solar deployment to meet India’s renewable energy targets.
China continues to be India’s primary supplier of solar PV modules, underscoring the challenges in reducing dependency despite growing local manufacturing capabilities.
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