India’s solar sector witnessed a major reshuffle in market leadership in 2025, with 35 new companies entering the top 10 rankings across key segments, reflecting the increasing competitiveness of the industry, according to Mercom India’s latest India Solar Market Leaderboard 2026.

The Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission eliminated the ability to time-shift solar generation beyond its production window by restricting energy banking to the same time-of-day slot, fundamentally altering the viability of projects for C&I consumers installing solar. The move shifts the system away from grid-enabled flexibility toward asset-level balancing, where storage becomes central.

Adani Green Energy, NTPC Green Energy, SJVN Green Energy, Megha Engineering and Infrastructure, and Gentari Renewables emerged as the top utility-scale solar project developers in India for 2025, according to Mercom’s India Solar Market Leaderboard 2026.

The government’s move to extend the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers framework to solar wafers marks a major step toward building a fully integrated domestic solar manufacturing ecosystem, but industry stakeholders warn that a sharp gap in upstream capacity and a tight compliance window could disrupt supply chains and bidding behavior.

Tata Power Solar, Roofsol Energy, Mahindra Solarize, Kalpa Power, and HARTEK emerged as the top rooftop solar installers in India in 2025, according to Mercom India’s India Solar Market Leaderboard 2026. Together, these five companies accounted for nearly 23.6% of the total rooftop solar market.

Consumers are increasingly shifting to solar open access due to rising electricity costs, corporate decarbonization goals, and the need for predictable long-term energy pricing. India added 7.8 GW of open access solar capacity in 2025, a marginal increase from 7.7 GW the previous year. Challenges arising from land acquisition were among the reasons why the growth was largely flat.

Langfang Sol-Bright New Energy Technology, Solabot Technologies, LEAPTING, Aegeus Technologies, and Vayu Solar were the top five robotic solar module cleaning equipment suppliers to the Indian solar market in 2025, according to Mercom India’s India Solar Market Leaderboard 2026 report. The top five companies shipped approximately 82% of the cleaning equipment used in solar projects during the year.

Goodluck India, Metalkraft, Raydean Industries, Strolar Mounting Systems, and MTE Structures were the top five module mounting structure suppliers to the Indian solar market in 2025, according to Mercom’s India Solar Market Leaderboard 2026 report. The top five companies supplied approximately 91% of the module mounting structures used in solar projects during the year.

Trina Solar, Waaree Energies, Goldi Solar, Rayzon Solar, and Saatvik Green Energy were the top solar module suppliers in 2025, according to Mercom’s recently released India Solar Market Leaderboard 2026. India’s solar module demand grew significantly in 2025, driven by record project installations.

Inox Green Energy Services, Mitarsh Energy, Jakson Green, Inspire Clean Energy, and Sterling & Wilson emerged as the top solar project operations and maintenance service providers in India for 2025, according to Mercom’s India Solar Market Leaderboard 2026 Report.

Tata Power Solar, Jakson Green, Sterling & Wilson, Amara Raja Infra, and HARTEK were the top utility-scale solar engineering, procurement, and construction service providers in 2025, according to Mercom’s recently released India Solar Market Leaderboard 2026 Report.

The Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission notified the regulations for virtual and group net metering for renewable energy projects roughly five months ago, but implementation has progressed slowly. Rooftop solar installers say that while the notification has sparked consumers’ interest, distribution companies are yet to issue operational guidelines.

India’s solar manufacturing sector is expanding unevenly, with module production scaling rapidly while cell manufacturing continues to lag. Despite policy support and strong domestic demand, the gap highlights underlying technology and market constraints.

Maharashtra’s revised renewable energy and multi-year tariff framework ties solar consumption directly to the time of generation. The order defines solar hours as 09:00 to 17:00, an eight-hour window that captures the majority of solar generation. Energy banked in this period can be drawn only within the same time-of-day slot.

Solar power accounted for 28.4% of total installed power capacity and 55% of total installed renewable energy capacity as of March 2026, up from 26.5% and 52.7%, respectively, in the previous quarter. Solar project installations have increased by about 12% quarter-over-quarter and 46% year-over-year.

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission determined the value of “X” for computing deviation by wind and solar sellers under the Deviation Settlement Mechanism Regulations, 2024. The revised framework will come into force from April 1, 2026.

The Supreme Court upheld the Maharashtra government’s authority to withdraw or modify electricity duty exemptions granted to captive power generators, while directing that such withdrawal can take effect only after a reasonable one-year notice. The dispute arose from a long-standing policy of the Maharashtra government to promote captive power generation by industries.

The government notified the Central Electricity Authority (Measures relating to Safety and Electric Supply) Amendment Regulations, 2026, introducing a comprehensive safety framework for battery energy storage systems. The Central Electricity Authority had issued the draft guidelines in June 2025.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy reiterated that renewable energy implementing agencies cannot include a greenshoe option in their tenders unless they obtain prior approval from the appropriate electricity regulatory commission.

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission rejected a plea by a renewable energy solutions company seeking interim protection against action by the Central Transmission Utility of India (CTUIL), including possible revocation of grid connectivity for its 200 MW hybrid renewable energy project.

The Central Electricity Authority issued draft amendments to the Technical Standards for Construction of Electrical Projects and Electric Lines Regulations, 2022, introducing an expansive technical framework for renewable energy power projects and battery energy storage systems. The proposed regulations are scheduled to come into force on April 1, 2027.

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission proposed a procedure for levying compensation charges to allow connectivity grantees additional time to meet certain milestones under the General Network Access Regulations, 2022. Stakeholders can submit their feedback by April 30, 2026.

India’s electric vehicle (EV) push is being stymied by a lack of policy coherence, at a time when the need to decarbonize public and individual transport has never been more urgent. Two recent developments illustrate how policy inconsistencies across states could slow the country’s transition to low-emissions transport.

The Ministry of Power has extended the deadline for submission of Renewable Consumption Obligation compliance details for the financial year 2024–25 to May 31, 2026, following representations from obligated entities citing challenges in meeting the earlier timeline.

The Ministry of Power stated that solar and wind projects with a firm start date of connectivity between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2028, may be considered for an extension of the graded interstate transmission system charges waiver of 75%, 50%, or 25%, as applicable, if the commissioning is delayed due to the unavailability of the transmission system.

India has operationalized a national compliance framework for renewable energy consumption, with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency issuing operational guidelines for the renewable consumption obligation mechanism. The framework signifies a shift from procurement-based mandates to consumption-based accountability.

The Ministry of Power decided to eliminate the requirement for Power Telecom Coordination Committee clearance for transmission lines from July 1, 2026, to reduce delays in project execution. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by the Secretary of the Ministry of Power to address bottlenecks in transmission project development, particularly those affecting Power Grid Corporation of India.

The Rajasthan government issued new guidelines stating that power projects up to 1 MVA capacity, including renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, can now be self-certified. Certification from an electrical inspector will no longer be mandatory. The consumer, premises owner, or supplier can self-certify that the project complies with safety standards.

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission released a staff paper outlining a framework for introducing capacity markets in India to address gaps in electricity resource adequacy, reserve availability, and short-term market efficiency. Stakeholders can submit their comments by May 27, 2026.