Industrial sources indicated that the Indian government is blocking China's solar modules from coming to India, in an attempt to reduce dependence on China.
India released a list of approved models and manufacturers (ALMM) for solar cells and modules, which went effective in May. According to India's news outlet Livemint citing knowledgeable sources, no Chinese suppliers were listed.
India's Bureau of Indian Standards and Ministry of New and Renewable Energy will issue approvals after their staff have inspected the manufacturing site and conducted a sales survey. One of the reasons why China can't make it to the approval list is the pandemic.
Electricity distributors can only use equipment manufactured by those on the list. On top of that, they have suggested foreign investors avoid using equipment from China to stay away from Uyghur forced labor controversy.
India is the world's third-largest carbon emitter as well as the third-largest solar power market. The Indian government said they will raise renewable energy capacity to 450 GW by 2030, with 62% being solar power.
Concerns over Chinese solar imports have prompted the Indian government to raise tariffs, issue white lists and subsidize local suppliers in an attempt to develop a local supply chain for the solar industry.
India's high-efficiency solar module production linked incentives (PLI) amounts to Rs45 billion (US$ 600 million) in the space of five years; tariffs on solar modules will be raised to 40%; solar cells 25%, starting in April 2022.
India's imports of solar semiconductors (100 million USD)
Source: India's Ministry of Commerce and Industry Compiled by Digitimes July 2021
