India adds record 44 GW solar capacity in 2025, total reaches 150 GW

India added a record 44 gigawatts (GW) of solar power capacity in 2025, its highest-ever annual addition, bringing total installed solar capacity to 150 GW. ...

What Happened

India added a record 44 gigawatts (GW) of solar power capacity in 2025, its highest-ever annual addition, bringing total installed solar capacity to 150 GW.
The 100 GW solar milestone was crossed on January 31, 2025; the 150 GW milestone was reached by early FY 2025-26 — demonstrating an accelerating pace of solar deployment.
Key programmes driving this growth include PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana (rooftop solar), PM-KUSUM (agricultural solar), and the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for domestic solar manufacturing.
Under PM Surya Ghar, over 25 lakh (2.5 million) households have had rooftop solar systems installed. Under PM-KUSUM, over 13.13 lakh agricultural pumps were solarised in 2025 alone, with cumulative installations crossing 10,203 MW.
India's total non-fossil fuel installed electricity capacity has crossed 242 GW, with solar alone at 150 GW — representing a 50% share of total installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources.

Static Topic Bridges

National Solar Mission (Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission)

The Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) was launched on January 11, 2010, under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). It was one of eight missions under the NAPCC, all established to address climate change through sustainable development.

Original target (Phase I, 2010): 1,000 MW by 2013.
Target evolved significantly: by 2022, the mission targeted 100 GW of solar; India achieved this on January 31, 2025 — about three years later than the original deadline.
The mission covers utility-scale ground-mounted solar, rooftop solar, and off-grid solar applications.
India's solar energy grew from a negligible base of ~3.7 MW in 2010 to 150 GW by 2026 — a ~40,000x increase in 16 years.
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is the nodal ministry for implementation.

Connection to this news: The 150 GW milestone is the cumulative outcome of 16 years of JNNSM implementation, accelerated by policy reforms, falling technology costs, and scheme-based demand stimulation. India now needs to maintain or exceed a 50 GW/year addition rate to meet the 500 GW target by 2030.

India's 500 GW Non-Fossil Fuel Target by 2030 (Paris Agreement Commitment)

At COP26 in Glasgow (2021), India announced the "Panchamrit" (five-element) climate commitments, including achieving 500 GW of non-fossil fuel energy capacity by 2030. This commitment was formally incorporated into India's updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) submitted to the UNFCCC in 2022.

The Panchamrit goals: (1) 500 GW non-fossil capacity by 2030; (2) 50% energy from renewables by 2030; (3) reduce carbon intensity of GDP by 45% by 2030; (4) reduce total projected carbon emissions by 1 billion tonnes by 2030; (5) achieve net zero by 2070.
Solar energy must contribute approximately 300 GW of the 500 GW non-fossil target.
India has already achieved the goal of 50% non-fossil installed capacity ahead of schedule (as of 2026).
India's updated NDC replaced the earlier commitment of achieving 40% non-fossil installed capacity by 2030.

Connection to this news: India's solar trajectory — reaching 150 GW in 2026 against a 300 GW solar target for 2030 — means the country needs to add approximately 150 GW more in the next four years, requiring annual additions of 37–38 GW minimum. The 44 GW added in 2025 shows India is on track, but sustaining this pace requires continuous policy support and grid infrastructure upgrades.

PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana

Launched in February 2024, PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana is a flagship rooftop solar scheme targeting one crore (10 million) households with rooftop solar installations. It provides substantial central government subsidy for domestic rooftop solar systems.

Financial outlay: ₹75,021 crore over the scheme period.
Subsidy structure: ₹30,000 for 1 kW systems; ₹60,000 for 2 kW; ₹78,000 for 3 kW and above (per household).
By 2025, over 25 lakh (2.5 million) households had installations under this scheme.
14.43 lakh rooftop solar systems were installed cumulatively, with a target of reaching 10 million homes.
Households with 3 kW systems are expected to save ₹15,000-18,000/year on electricity bills, earning 300 units/month of free electricity.

Connection to this news: PM Surya Ghar is central to the record 44 GW addition — it represents a consumer-driven demand pull complementing the utility-scale supply push. Distributed rooftop solar also reduces transmission losses and builds energy resilience at the household level.

PM-KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan)

PM-KUSUM was launched in February 2019 to provide energy and water security to farmers through solar-powered pumps and grid-connected solar plants on agricultural land.

Three components: Component A — 10,000 MW of decentralised solar plants on barren/agricultural land; Component B — solarisation of standalone agricultural pumps (25 lakh pumps targeted); Component C — solarisation of grid-connected agricultural pumps (15 lakh pumps targeted).
Cumulative solar pump installations under Component B exceeded 10,203 MW by 2025.
Over 13.13 lakh agricultural pumps were solarised in 2025 alone.
The scheme reduces the subsidy burden on state distribution companies (DISCOMs) for agricultural electricity — estimated combined state electricity subsidy of ₹2.4 lakh crore could be substantially eased.
MNRE projects PM-KUSUM at an estimated investment of approximately ₹1.40 lakh crore.

Connection to this news: PM-KUSUM creates a distributed solar deployment model in rural areas — converting farms from electricity consumers to electricity producers. This dual benefit (reduced input costs for farmers + renewable generation) makes it one of the most policy-efficient contributors to India's solar milestone.

Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Solar PV Manufacturing

The PLI scheme for High Efficiency Solar PV Modules was launched to build a domestic solar manufacturing ecosystem, reducing India's dependence on Chinese solar imports (which accounted for over 90% of India's module imports before PLI).

Total PLI outlay for solar PV manufacturing: approximately ₹19,500 crore (two tranches).
Target: adding 65,000 MW of manufacturing capacity across the solar PV value chain (polysilicon, wafer, cell, module).
By 2025, India's solar module manufacturing capacity (under ALMM — Approved List of Models and Manufacturers) reached 144 GW, with 81 GW added in 2025 alone.
The scheme mandates "approved models and manufacturers" for government-supported projects, creating a protected demand channel for domestic manufacturers.
Major beneficiaries include Waaree Energies, Adani Green, First Solar India, and several mid-sized manufacturers.

Connection to this news: The PLI scheme is a supply-side complement to demand-side schemes like PM Surya Ghar and PM-KUSUM. By building domestic manufacturing capacity, India is reducing its exposure to import price volatility and supply chain disruptions — a critical lesson from the pandemic era.

Key Facts & Data

Solar capacity added in 2025: record 44 GW (some sources cite 44.2–44.5 GW range).
Total solar capacity as of early FY 2025-26: 150 GW.
100 GW solar milestone crossed: January 31, 2025.
Total non-fossil fuel installed capacity: 242 GW+ as of mid-2026.
India's 500 GW non-fossil fuel target: 2030 (COP26 Panchamrit commitment).
Solar's share in the 500 GW target: approximately 300 GW.
JNNSM launched: January 11, 2010.
PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana launched: February 2024; outlay ₹75,021 crore; 25 lakh+ households covered.
PM-KUSUM: launched February 2019; 10,203 MW cumulative solar pump capacity; 13.13 lakh pumps solarised in 2025.
PLI scheme for solar PV: ₹19,500 crore outlay; 144 GW module capacity under ALMM by 2025.
India became the 3rd largest solar power country globally in 2023 (after China and USA).
50% non-fossil installed capacity milestone achieved in 2026, five years ahead of India's Paris Agreement schedule.