India has a ground-mounted solar potential of around 3,343 GW, according to a report released by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and the National Institute of Solar Energy.

The potential was calculated using approximately 6.69% of the total identified feasible wasteland nationwide. Apart from the well-known solar-rich regions in Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Gujarat, which are characterised by vast wastelands and high irradiance, several other states also have significant potential due to favourable solar geometry and land-use efficiency.

Rajasthan has the highest potential at 828.78 GW, followed by Maharashtra (486.68 GW), Madhya Pradesh (318.97 GW), Andhra Pradesh (299.31 GW), Gujarat (243.22 GW), Karnataka (223.28 GW), and Tamil Nadu (204.77 GW).

India possesses one of the world’s richest solar resources, with average irradiance ranging from 3.5 to 5.5 kWh/m²/day across much of the country.

This assessment provides a policy-linked, investment-ready framework to guide project siting, infrastructure development, and private sector participation. The results are directly aligned with India’s ‘Panchamrit’ commitments announced at COP26 and support the nation’s long-term goals of energy independence by 2047 and net-zero emissions by 2070.

The new report builds on the earlier 2014 estimate of 749 GW. The latest analysis incorporates methodologies, including high-resolution geospatial analysis to identify feasible solar sites, as well as the integration of infrastructure and technical design factors, such as inter-row spacing, shading, proximity to substations, and road networks.

India added a solar capacity of 18 GW in the first half of 2025, a 31% year-over-year (YoY) increase, according to Mercom India Research’s Q2 2025 India Solar Market Update. In the second quarter alone, India added 11.3 GW of solar capacity, a 145.4% YoY increase from 4.6 GW and a 66.9% increase from Q1 2025.

Solar projects accounted for 24% of India’s total installed power capacity and over 49% of the total installed renewable energy capacity as of the end of June 2025. The cumulative installed solar capacity stood at 116.4 GW as of June.