Recently, the Indian Solar Manufacturers’ Association (ISMA) submitted a report to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) in India, urging the imposition of safeguard tariffs on imports of polysilicon, ingots, and wafers. The aim is to protect the domestic solar manufacturing industry from dumping impacts and comprehensively enhance local manufacturing capabilities.
ISMA pointed out that thanks to previous tariff protection measures, India has achieved self-sufficiency in solar module manufacturing. Currently, the country’s cell manufacturing capacity is also experiencing rapid growth, and it is expected that India will achieve complete self-sufficiency in cell manufacturing by the fiscal year 2027.
To promote the progress of the domestic upstream manufacturing sector, ISMA proposed a series of specific measures. Firstly, all capital goods, specialized equipment, and various raw materials necessary for the production of polysilicon, ingots, and wafers should be exempted from import tariffs. Secondly, a clear and specific timeline and detailed roadmap for implementing tariff protection on imported polysilicon, ingots, and wafers must be established. ISMA also strongly requested the formulation of a timeline and roadmap for the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) for ingots/wafers and polysilicon, and mandated the use of listed products in downstream cell and module manufacturing processes.
ISMA suggested that the government expedite the launch of the next batch of public sector enterprise projects. Additionally, the association hopes that the government will introduce a new capital subsidy program for newly established ingot/wafer and polysilicon production projects, provide low-interest priority loans, and establish a dedicated fund to fully promote the enhancement of domestic production capacity. Furthermore, for these production units, the government should offer preferential policies for accelerated depreciation of plant and machinery, as well as implement favorable corporate tax rates.
ISMA also plans to leverage government-acquired land to create specialized photovoltaic manufacturing industrial clusters, optimizing the logistics distribution system, improving the supply chain ecosystem, and promoting industrial synergies. The association recommended that the government focus on building a long-term, stable, and highly predictable policy framework to minimize the uncertainty faced by investors. At the same time, the government needs to significantly streamline regulatory approval processes to eliminate unnecessary project delays.
Moreover, the report highlighted that the government should provide robust financial incentives and dedicated funding for cutting-edge clean technology research. By establishing a technology design center for next-generation innovation and intellectual property creation, among other initiatives, the report emphasized the need to further strengthen deep cooperation between industry and academia. ISMA also stressed the importance of actively enforcing free trade agreements and expanding the network of international partnerships to promote the export of Indian solar products and ensure a stable supply of key raw materials.
