A total of 99 GW of solar modules and cells were imported in 2025, with modules accounting for 25% and cells 75%, highlighting continued dependence on overseas supply despite a sharp expansion in domestic manufacturing capacity, according to a Mercom India report.
India added 119 GW of solar module manufacturing capacity and over 9 GW of solar cell capacity in CY2025, taking cumulative module capacity to around 210 GW and cell capacity to about 27 GW.
The surge in capacity was driven by demand from utility-scale solar projects, rooftop targets, the PM Surya Ghar programme and the ALMM List-II domestic cell mandate.
Structural imbalance
However, the data points to a structural imbalance. ALMM-certified module capacity stood at 173.1 GW, while certified cell capacity was around 26.5 GW, indicating that domestic cell capacity accounts for only 15.3% of module capacity.
The manufacturing ecosystem also remains concentrated, with the top 10 manufacturers accounting for 44% of module capacity and 99.5% of cell capacity.
Technology adoption is shifting towards advanced formats. Around 70% of installed module manufacturing capacity is based on TOPCon technology, followed by monocrystalline at over 25%, while polycrystalline and thin-film technologies account for about 2% each.
In cell manufacturing, monocrystalline technology accounts for over 57%, followed by TOPCon at over 39%.
Regionally, Gujarat dominates with 45% share in both module and cell manufacturing capacity, followed by Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu in modules, and Tamil Nadu and Karnataka in cells.
Exports remain limited compared to imports. Domestic manufacturers exported about 5 GW of solar modules and 192 MW of cells in 2025, with the United States accounting for 96.8% of module exports and the UAE receiving 57% of cell exports.