Govt issues draft norms for ALMM on solar cells from April 2026
Notable because
ALMM includes two lists. List I pertains to solar PV modules and has been regularly updated since 2019. List II pertains to solar PV cells, for which draft norms have been issued. Currently, all ALMM-eligible projects have to source their modules from List I’s manufacturers. Following the implementation of List II, all List I manufacturers will have to source their cells from those included in List II. This is a step further in indigenising India’s solar supply chain.
What to look out for in the months ahead
In FY23, ~97% of India’s solar cell and module exports were to the US, which has turned to India following the imposition of trade barriers on imports from China. Is India’s indigenous manufacturing capacity capable of meeting both domestic and export market needs? Will a higher price for exported modules, coupled with rising domestic demand, affect the domestic pricing of cells?