India Adds Record 38 GW Solar In 2025, Total Capacity Climbs To 135.8 GW

India’s renewable energy sector continued its strong upward momentum in 2025, with solar power leading the overall growth. Official data shows that by the end of December 2025, the country’s total installed solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity reached 135,809.94 MW, highlighting solar’s dominant position in the clean energy landscape. Solar alone accounted for over 65.58 percent of India’s total renewable energy capacity (excluding large hydro), reflecting its expanding role in the national energy mix. Also, 44.616 GW of renewable capacities were added in calendar year 2025, excluding large hydro.

The calendar year 2025 proved to be a significant period for solar growth. India added 37,945.22 MW (about 37.95 GW) of new solar capacity during the year, marking one of the highest annual installations seen so far. December 2025 contributed 2,961.69 MW, a month-on-month increase of 2.23 percent, signaling strong project execution towards the year-end. Wind energy also maintained steady momentum, with 524.91 MW added in December, indicating a broader focus on diversifying renewable energy sources.

By December 2025, the total renewable energy capacity in India, excluding large hydro projects, reached 207.09 GW. Solar and wind together formed 190.32 GW, contributing over 91.9 percent of the non-large hydro renewable portfolio. This reflects the combined strength of these two technologies in steering India’s energy transition.

Within the solar segment, ground-mounted installations continued to dominate with 103.24 GW installed capacity. Rooftop solar systems reached 23.62 GW, showing growing interest from households, industries, and commercial users. Solar-wind hybrid projects stood at 3.36 GW, driven by the need for better land use and improved transmission efficiency. Off-grid solar applications such as lanterns, water pumps, and mini-grids exceeded 5.59 GW, helping reduce diesel usage and improving energy access in remote regions.

Government policies remained a major catalyst behind this progress. The Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme encouraged domestic solar manufacturing, reducing dependence on imported modules. The reintroduction of the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) in April 2024 ensured that government-supported projects use certified modules, with plans to include PV cells from June 2026. Tax reforms also supported growth, particularly the reduction of GST on solar PV modules and wind turbine generators from 12 percent to 5 percent, lowering overall project costs.

However, rapid expansion also brought challenges. Land acquisition for utility-scale projects continues to be difficult, and integrating large volumes of variable solar energy requires stronger transmission networks and grid balancing mechanisms. Supply chain uncertainties and shifting trade patterns further add to industry concerns, even as domestic manufacturing capacity grows.

Despite these issues, India’s overall renewable energy outlook remains positive. With strong policy backing, improving technology, and rising adoption across ground-mounted, rooftop, and off-grid segments, the country is well-positioned to continue its progress. Achieving the 500 GW non-fossil energy target by 2030 will depend on sustained momentum and effective solutions to land, grid, and supply chain challenges.