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India’s Solar Cell Imports Surge, Challenging Domestic Manufacturing
India wants to make more solar equipment inside the country.
However, it imported more than $3 billion worth of solar cells in FY 2025-26.
Most of these cells came from one country.
Solar cells are an important and valuable part of a solar panel.
The article says imported cells are being used quickly to make panels, rather than simply being stored.
This means Indian factories may lose business and may not be used fully.
It could also make it harder to build factories for wafers, ingots and polysilicon.
The Indian Solar Manufacturers Association wants stable rules and stronger support for domestic manufacturers.
It says India can still trade internationally while building a stronger and more reliable local industry.
India imported more than $3 billion in solar photovoltaic cells during FY 2025-26.
Solar cell imports rose 86% to $3.06 billion in FY 2025-26 from $1.64 billion the previous year.
Imports reached $1.37 billion between January and April 2026, nearly triple the amount recorded during the same period in 2024.
Nearly two-thirds of India’s solar cell imports over the past three years came from one country.
The Indian Solar Manufacturers Association is seeking consistent policies, domestic-content enforcement and predictable procurement to support local production.
- Who
- India’s solar manufacturing industry and the Indian Solar Manufacturers Association are central to the issue.
- What
- Solar cell imports surged to more than $3 billion in FY 2025-26, raising concerns about domestic manufacturing and supply-chain dependence.
- Where
- India; nearly two-thirds of imports over the past three years originated from one country, which the article does not name.
- When
- The increase occurred in FY 2025-26; imports between January and April 2026 totaled $1.37 billion. The article was published on August 23, 2026.
- Why
- The association says heavy import dependence could reduce domestic value addition, weaken use of Indian manufacturing capacity and expose the industry to supply-chain and geopolitical risks.
Domestic manufacturing priorities
International trade and competition
Import dependence
Domestic manufacturing priorities
The Indian Solar Manufacturers Association argues that the surge in imports displaces demand that could support Indian cell manufacturers and weakens the broader domestic value chain.
International trade and competition
The article states that Indian manufacturers recognize global competition as a driver of efficiency and innovation and says the concern is not an argument against international trade.
Policy response
Domestic manufacturing priorities
The association supports consistent implementation of ALMM List II for solar cells, enforcement of Domestic Content Requirement provisions and a predictable procurement pipeline.
International trade and competition
The article does not present a specific opposing policy proposal, but acknowledges the importance of competition and does not call for ending international trade.
Key facts
- FY 2025-26 imports
- More than $3 billion, reported as $3.06 billion.
- Previous-year imports
- $1.64 billion in FY 2024-25, compared with $1.85 billion in FY 2023-24.
- January-April 2026 imports
- $1.37 billion, compared with $702 million in the same period of 2025 and $528 million in 2024.
- Estimated import volume
- At prevailing global prices, FY 2025-26 imports equaled approximately 70-80 GW of solar cells.
- Domestic investment
- More than ₹1 lakh crore has been committed to solar cell manufacturing and an integrated value chain.
- Import concentration
- Nearly two-thirds of solar cell imports over the past three years came from one country.
- Cell importance
- Solar cells account for nearly half the value of a finished solar module.
Sources
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