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India installed approximately 14.2 gigawatts of solar energy capacity during the first quarter of 2026, representing a roughly 95% increase compared to the preceding quarter, as reported by the Indian research firm JMK Research.
According to JMK’s quarterly data, between January and the end of March, the country added 12.12 gigawatts of utility-scale solar and 2.14 gigawatts of rooftop solar photovoltaic capacity. This combined total of 14.26 gigawatts is slightly below other estimates that place quarterly additions at 14.4 gigawatts.
For the financial year ending in March, JMK indicated that India’s total solar additions rose 87.16%, from 23.84 gigawatts in fiscal year 2025 to 44.62 gigawatts in fiscal year 2026. Utility-scale solar was the primary driver, more than doubling from 16.90 gigawatts to 34.85 gigawatts over the year. Rooftop installations also grew, from 5.15 gigawatts to 8.71 gigawatts, largely fueled by the government’s PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana scheme, aimed at expanding residential and rooftop solar photovoltaic systems across India. Off-grid solar deployments saw a slight decline, dropping from 1.79 gigawatts to 1.06 gigawatts.
Tenders issued by national and state governments are a significant factor in India’s renewable energy expansion. In the first quarter, JMK reported nine tenders were allocated with a combined capacity of 6.3 gigawatts across solar, wind, wind-solar hybrid, and renewable energy plus storage—a 37% increase over the fourth quarter of 2025 but a 9% decline compared to the first quarter of 2025.
As of April 2026, solar accounts for 55% of India’s renewable energy mix, followed by wind at 20% and large hydro at 19%. By March 31, India had a total renewable energy capacity of 275 gigawatts, of which 150.26 gigawatts was solar photovoltaic. JMK estimated the current pipeline of solar, wind, hybrid, and storage projects at around 169 gigawatts, expected to come online within the next four to five years.
The Adani Group, owned by billionaire Gautam Adani, is by far the largest developer across all Indian renewables, according to JMK, holding a portfolio of operational and pipeline projects totaling approximately 42.4 gigawatts. ReNew (21.2 gigawatts), JSW Energy (16.8 gigawatts), Avaada (16.5 gigawatts), and NTPC Limited (16.1 gigawatts) round out the top five largest developers as of March 31.
Waaree was the largest module supplier to the Indian market in the first quarter of 2026, capturing a 17.2% market share, JMK said. The top 23 players shipped 20.3 gigawatts of solar modules. Waaree’s leading position reflects the government’s strong push to build domestic solar manufacturing capacity and reduce reliance on Chinese imports. According to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, a combination of production incentives and market access restrictions has led to a robust expansion of module manufacturing capacity.
JMK noted that during the first quarter, 13 solar manufacturers added a collective 14.4 gigawatts of module capacity, while four players added 4.2 gigawatts of cell production capacity. In contrast, Chinese companies remain the leading inverter suppliers to the Indian market. Of the 27.5 gigawatts of inverter shipments recorded in the first quarter of 2026, Chinese producer Sungrow supplied over 10 gigawatts, with the remainder split among 18 other suppliers.
Despite growth in deployments and manufacturing capacity, JMK stated that India’s renewable energy sector attracted approximately US$2.1 billion of investment in the first quarter of 2026—a decline of 58% from the fourth quarter of 2025 and 65% from the first quarter of 2025.
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