India’s solar sector has expanded at an unprecedented pace over the past decade, with manufacturing capacity rising from just 3 Gigawatt during the UPA years to 172 Gigawatt today, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi told the Lok Sabha, outlining what he described as a structural shift in the country’s clean energy landscape.
Speaking during Question Hour, Joshi drew a pointed comparison with the previous regime, stating that solar cell manufacturing capacity, which stood at zero during the UPA period, has now reached 27 Gigawatt. The figures, he indicated, reflect the emergence of a domestic manufacturing base that was previously non-existent.
From limited capacity to scaled-up generation
The expansion is equally visible in electricity generation. India’s solar power capacity has grown from 2.8 Gigawatt during the UPA years to 144 Gigawatt at present, signalling a rapid scale-up in deployment alongside manufacturing.
Joshi attributed part of this shift to policy support mechanisms such as the Production Linked Incentive scheme. Under this initiative, projects for ingot and wafer manufacturing have been announced across the country, indicating a move towards an integrated solar production ecosystem. He maintained that such a comprehensive manufacturing push was absent earlier, limiting the sector’s growth trajectory at the time.
The minister also highlighted gains in wind energy, noting that installed capacity has increased from 21 Gigawatt during the UPA period to 55 Gigawatt currently, pointing to a broader strengthening of India’s renewable energy portfolio.
Rooftop solar drives decentralised energy shift
Beyond large-scale infrastructure, the government pointed to strong momentum in decentralised solar adoption. Joshi informed the House that nearly 10,000 solar installations are being carried out daily under the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, reflecting rising participation at the household level.
In total, around 40 lakh rooftop solar installations have been completed during the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The minister presented this as a key indicator of how solar power is moving beyond utility-scale projects into everyday energy consumption.
Maharashtra has emerged as the second-best performing state under the rooftop solar programme, highlighting uneven but significant regional uptake.
Taken together, the data presented in Parliament suggests a deliberate push towards building scale, capacity and self-reliance in renewable energy. With manufacturing, generation and adoption advancing simultaneously, the government is positioning solar power not just as an alternative, but as a central pillar of India’s energy future.