India’s solar manufacturing mandate now extends to blocks and wafers, with MNRE setting a compliance deadline of June 1, 2028, and a seven-day cut-off window determining which projects must source wafers from approved domestic manufacturers.
Bids submitted more than seven days after the publication of the first ALMM List-III for wafers must specify the use of ALMM List-III compliant wafers.
The ALMM list for wafers – ALMM List-III – will be issued only if there are at least three independent wafer manufacturing facilities operational in India with a combined annual capacity of at least 15 GW.
Manufacturers seeking inclusion in ALMM List-III must also have equivalent ingot production capacity.
The ALMM mechanism was introduced by MNRE to protect domestic manufacturers from the dumping of Chinese solar products. Under the framework, only MNRE-approved models and manufacturers are eligible to participate in government-backed solar projects. ALMM currently applies to solar panels (ALMM List-I) and solar cells (ALMM List-II).
As per the wafer amendment, all ALMM covered projects must use ALMM List-I PV modules manufactured using ALMM List-II cells, with those cells using wafers sourced from manufacturers listed under ALMM List-III. Projects exempt from using ALMM-listed cells are automatically exempt from the wafer requirement.
Projects tendered on or before the cut-off date – set at seven days after the issuance of the first ALMM wafer list – are exempt from the ALMM List-III wafer requirement, regardless of the commissioning timeline. Projects with bid submission deadlines after the closing date must specify ALMM List-III compliant wafers in their tender documents.
Vinay Rustagi, Chief Business Officer of Premier Energies, said bringing ingots and wafers under ALMM was a logical next step in deepening India’s solar sector.
“Currently, 100% of our solar wafer demand is met by imports, making the sector highly sensitive to supply shocks, exchange rate volatility and trade disruptions,” Rustagi said.
He said the segment could attract around INR500 billion ($5.4 billion) in investments over the next three years. Premier Energies has announced a plan to build 10 GW of billet wafer capacity at a cost of INR 59 billion.
“MNRE’s decision to expand ALMM to blocks and wafers marks a turning point in India’s solar journey. This policy validates the foresight of companies that invested early in integrated, end-to-end domestic manufacturing,” said Prashant Mathur, CEO of Saatvik Green Energy. “It’s more than a regulatory change; it’s a bold affirmation that India is committed to owning its solar supply chain, reducing import dependence and generating high-quality manufacturing jobs at scale. Saatvik welcomes this move as a decisive step toward building a resilient, self-sustaining solar ecosystem that powers India’s future.”
