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Despite requests by the industry for an extension, the Ministry has reiterated that the ALMM list for solar PV cells will be effective June 1, albeit with exemptions for certain projects such as Net Metering and Open Access projects | Photo Credit: K Ragesh
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has clarified that projects that were won through bidding on or before August 31, 2025 will be exempt from sourcing solar PV cells from ALMM-listed domestic manufacturers. The clarifications come after stakeholders reached out to the government on several directives related to the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) List-II for solar PV cells, which came into effect from June 1, 2026.
“For projects awarded through bidding, if the last date of bid submission is on or before the cut-off date of August 31, 2025, the projects are exempt from ALMM List-II (for solar cells), else not. The applicability of this provision is to bids which were live as on July 28, 2025,” the MNRE said in an order. August 31 last year is the date falling one month after the publication of the initial ALMM List-II (July 31, 2025).
However, if the bid conditions where the last date of submitting the bid was between December 9, 2024 and July 28, 2025, provided for usage of solar cells from the ALMM List-II, no exemption will be given, it clarified.
While December 9, 2024 is the date when the Ministry issued the directive for the ALMM list for solar cells was published, July 28, 2025 is when this list was modified by the Ministry.
As the July 28, 2025 order modifies the 2024 order, which coupled with the issuance of the first ALMM list for solar cells on July 31, 2025, the ‘cut-off date’ for applicability of ALMM List-II on projects awarded through bidding has shifted from December 9, 2024 to August 31, 2025, the Ministry emphasised.
Besides, the office order of July 2025 does not directly or automatically relax the bid conditions in tenders where the last date of submission was between December 9, 2024 and July 28, 2025, it further clarified.
Similarly, the Ministry also clarified for Net Metering and Open Access projects. Projects that were commissioned by December 31 , 2026 are exempt from the ALMM list for solar cells. 
Even though Net Metering and Open Access projects meeting the commissioning deadline are exempt from buying solar PV cells from ALMM listed makers, they will have to source their modules only from ALMM listed manufacturers, it added.
“If any residential rooftop solar consumer or project for a residential building is availing Net Metering with the option of ‘Give It Up’ subsidy cases under the PM Surya Ghar Yojna, such cases will also be exempt from ALMM List-II till the end of the scheme period—March 31, 2027,” the Ministry said.
However, such projects also will have to source their solar PV modules only from ALMM-listed manufacturers.
Despite requests by the industry for an extension, the Ministry has reiterated that the ALMM list for solar PV cells will be effective June 1, albeit with exemptions for certain projects such as Net Metering and Open Access projects.
A senior government official said the step to mandate ALMM for cells is to give policy certainty to the domestic manufacturing segment and investors. 
India’s solar cell manufacturing capacity is around 30 gigawatt (GW). The country added roughly 3 GW solar cell manufacturing capacity in the 2020 calendar year (CY), which got completely derailed due to the Covid pandemic in 2021. In 2022, 1.3 GW was added, followed by 2.3 GW in 2023, 8 GW (2024) and 20.4 GW (2025).
Published on August 5, 2026
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