India's solar manufacturing capacity set for major expansion, says ISMA's Amit Manohar

India's solar manufacturing base is set to expand substantially, according to Amit Manohar, Secretary General of the Indian Solar Manufacturers Association (ISMA). He made the remarks in an interview with ET EnergyWorld published on November 4, 2026.

Manohar tied the expected growth to the country's push to build domestic capacity across the solar supply chain. The details of the expansion, including the size of the capacity addition and the timeline, were not spelled out in the report.

Why capacity matters

India has leaned on imports for years to meet its solar deployment targets, with modules and cells arriving largely from overseas. Building out domestic lines is meant to change that arithmetic. It also carries weight for jobs and for the country's energy security.

The manufacturing push sits alongside India's broader renewable energy goals. Solar has become the largest slice of the country's clean power pipeline, and demand for modules keeps climbing as developers race to commission projects.

ISMA represents domestic manufacturers, and Manohar has previously spoken about the pressures they face, from pricing to the need for policy support. The association's stance matters because it shapes how the industry talks to the government about tariffs, incentives and local content rules.

What's still unclear

The ET EnergyWorld report did not give figures for the planned capacity, nor did it name the companies involved. It also did not specify which parts of the supply chain, from polysilicon to modules, would see the biggest gains.

Those gaps matter. India's module assembly capacity has grown faster than its cell and wafer capacity, leaving a lopsided supply chain that still depends on imported components. Whether the new expansion closes that gap is the question the industry will be watching.

Manohar's comments come as global solar prices stay volatile and trade policy shifts in key markets. Domestic manufacturers have argued that without steady demand and protection from underpriced imports, new lines won't run at full tilt.

The interview was published by ET EnergyWorld on November 4, 2026. Further details on the capacity plans are expected to emerge as companies announce their own investments.