Utility-scale additions lead record 9M 2025 solar capacity growth, supported by rooftop and distributed systems as India advances its renewable targets

Solar installations in India rose 53.7 per cent year-on-year in the first nine months of 2025 to reach 26.6 GW of new capacity, according to sectoral estimates. The increase reflects a strong pipeline of utility-scale projects along with higher rooftop and distributed solar uptake as the country moves towards its medium-term renewable energy targets.

Sector data indicate that utility-scale projects account for the bulk of additions, followed by growth in rooftop systems across commercial, industrial and residential consumers. Off-grid and distributed solar solutions also contribute to the overall increase, in line with policy efforts to expand access to clean power and reduce dependence on fossil-fuel based generation.

Analysts note that the pace of installations in the first three quarters of 2025 has already outstripped the corresponding period in the previous year, underpinned by falling technology costs, supportive central and state schemes and a steady flow of tenders from public-sector and private developers. The growth in solar capacity is part of a broader expansion in renewable energy, with India adding record solar and wind capacity over the same period.