India's Polysilicon Push: Inside Centre's Plans To Cut China Solar Dependence

India has built a large solar manufacturing base. But there is still one major gap.The country can make solar modules and is rapidly expanding cell production. Yet it remains dependent on imports for polysilicon, the key raw material that sits at the start of the solar manufacturing chain.Now, the Centre is looking to change that. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is working on an incentive scheme to encourage domestic polysilicon manufacturing. The initial proposal was aimed at supporting more than 10 GW of capacity. The government is also considering a larger push, with a target of at least 30 GW of domestic polysilicon capacity by 2030.Also Read | Layoffs Are Rising In Tech, But These Skills Are Helping People Unlock Better PayThe move is aimed at reducing India's dependence on China and building a more integrated solar supply chain.Why Polysilicon MattersPolysilicon is not the solar panel itself. It is one of the first building blocks. It is converted into ingots and wafers. These are then used to make solar cells, which eventually go into modules.India has made significant progress further down this chain. The country has more than 213 GW of solar module manufacturing capacity and around 32 GW of cell capacity, according to the renewable energy ministry. But polysilicon remains a critical missing link.This is where China's dominance becomes important.India currently relies heavily on China for polysilicon imports. Building domestic capacity could therefore reduce the risk for Indian manufacturers if overseas supply is disrupted or prices change sharply.What The Centre Is PlanningThe proposed scheme is expected to follow the production-linked incentive model. The government has not yet announced the final structure, incentive rates or eligibility conditions.By August, officials were discussing support for more than 10 GW of polysilicon capacity. A later proposal indicated that the government could target at least 30 GW by 2030. Setting up polysilicon plants along with metallurgical-grade silicon could require investment of around Rs 850 crore per GW, according to MNRE Secretary Santosh Kumar Sarangi.The push is also part of a wider attempt to build capacity across the solar value chain. India is targeting at least 80 GW of domestic ingot and wafer manufacturing capacity by June 2028.From Modules To The Entire Solar ChainVinay Thadani, Director & CEO, GREW Solar, told NDTV that India has already made progress in modules and cells but needs to address the upstream part of the industry. "India has progressed well in its solar manufacturing journey, specifically in the area of modules and cells, but there is one distinct gap in the value chain," Thadani said.According to him, polysilicon and wafers remain areas where India is reliant on imports, particularly from China. He said building domestic capabilities in these areas would help create a more integrated and resilient solar manufacturing ecosystem.Thadani welcomed the proposed incentive scheme but said domestic manufacturing cannot be about import reduction alone."For solar to be more cost-effective in the long run, domestic manufacturing should not only be focused on reducing imports. It needs to be driven by the concepts of scale, technology, operational effectiveness and competitive energy procurement," he added. GREW Solar is also planning to establish 8 GW of ingot and wafer manufacturing capacity, Thadani said.The Centre's proposed polysilicon scheme marks a shift in India's solar manufacturing strategy. The focus is no longer only on making the finished panel in India. The government is trying to build capacity from polysilicon to ingots, wafers, cells and modules.