India’s large-scale solar project pipeline has crossed a significant milestone, exceeding 200 GW for the first time, according to data from the Mercom India Renewable Energy Project Tracker.

The milestone underscores the scale of project development underway across the country and reinforces the view that India’s target of 280 GW of installed solar capacity by 2030 is increasingly within reach.

More than 150 GW, representing nearly 75% of the total pipeline, is currently under development, while approximately 51 GW is in the pre-construction stage. The strong pipeline reflects sustained investor interest and developer confidence despite evolving policy requirements, transmission constraints, and supply chain challenges.

India’s operational large-scale solar capacity currently stands at over 134 GW.

The composition of operational capacity also reflects evolving market dynamics. Central sector projects account for approximately 38% of installed large-scale solar capacity, state sector projects represent about 35%, and open access projects contribute nearly 26%.

The growing share of open access projects demonstrates the increasing role of commercial and industrial (C&I) consumers in India’s energy transition. Rising electricity costs, sustainability commitments, and greater familiarity with renewable energy procurement mechanisms continue to drive demand from the C&I segment.

The strong development pipeline comes on the back of record solar installations. According to Mercom India’s Q1 2026 India Solar Market Update Report, India installed 15.3 GW of solar capacity during the first quarter of 2026, the highest quarterly total ever recorded. Cumulative installed solar capacity exceeded 152 GW as of March 2026.

The robust solar pipeline and record capacity additions in 2025 suggest that India is well-positioned to achieve its target of 500 GW of non-fossil-fuel-based renewable energy capacity by 2030. The target for installed solar capacity is 280 GW, which means India must add about 130 GW between now and 2030, averaging 30 GW per year over the next four years. Given the pace of recent capacity additions and the strength of the development pipeline, the target appears achievable, provided project execution remains on track.

In 2025, India added an unprecedented 36.6 GW of solar capacity, a 43% increase from 25.6 GW in 2024. This growth was supported by utility-scale project commissioning, rising open access demand, and improved project execution across several states.

While the target appears achievable, a recent policy initiative of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has raised concerns among stakeholders. The introduction of the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers List-II for solar cells from June 1, 2026, could slow capacity additions in the short term. ALMM List-II mandates that all projects complying with ALMM List-I for solar modules must use domestically manufactured cells.

The solar cell mandate was introduced to create an indigenous solar manufacturing ecosystem that reduces reliance on imports. However, while India’s solar module manufacturing capacity is more than adequate, cell manufacturing has lagged. In May, the cumulative module manufacturing capacity under ALMM stood at 193 GW, while that of cells had only reached 30.5 GW.

The industry fears ALMM List-II-compliant solar cells will be in short supply, hampering capacity additions. The industry’s ability to rapidly scale domestic cell production will be critical to avoiding supply bottlenecks and sustaining the pace of solar deployment needed to meet national renewable energy targets.

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