Building ecosystem for indigenous solar mfg

21 Jan 2021 CW Team

Loan subventions. There is a need for a comprehensive policy framework that encompasses tariff and non-tariff barriers, long term financial support and direct incentives to make the domestic solar industry cost-competitive. The finance ministry should consider 5% interest subvention on term loan and working capital, upfront central financial assistance of 30% on capex, increase export incentive from 2% to 8% under Remission of Duties or Taxes on Export Product (RoDTEP) which will aid indigenous solar manufacturing.

聽Basic Custom Duty. Further, the industry awaits the implementation of Basic Custom Duty (BCD) with exemption to Special Economic Zone (SEZ) based solar manufacturers and the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. In our view, bringing down Minimum Alternate Tax聽(MAT) for units operating in SEZs, extending Section 10 AA of Income Tax Act till 31 March 2022 for SEZ based solar manufacturing unit, preferred interest rate support and priority lending support for manufacturing units, availability of National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF) for expanding solar research and development are critical to augment domestic solar manufacturing.

Tariff barriers. Additionally, the government to consider implementing tariff barriers like BCD/Safeguard Duty/ADD for at least four to five years. Offering capital subsidy of 50% for setting up research and development and quality testing infrastructure within the manufacturing units will help build scale. Also, super-deductions of 200% of the research and development (R&D) expenditure for new and clean solar technology development should be allowed. India already offers super-deduction of 200% of the R&D expenditure in emerging areas such as biotechnology which has led to rapid growth of Indian biotech and pharma companies.

Considering the importance of the electric vehicle (EV) battery ecosystem in a solar-smart nation, special funds to be allocated for this development. Such a move will not only encourage economic recovery amidst the pandemic, but will also provide an enabling ecosystem to make India the global manufacturing hub for solar.聽

Author: Saibaba Vutukuri is CEO of

Targeted initiatives and policies for scaling up the domestic solar manufacturing aligned to the RE target of 450 GW by 2030 can help in building a robust ecosystem for indigenous solar manufacturing. Saibaba Vutukuri, CEO, Vikram Solar, identifies a roadmap for achieving it.Loan subventions. There is a need for a comprehensive policy framework that encompasses tariff and non-tariff barriers, long term financial support and direct incentives to make the domestic solar industry cost-competitive. The finance ministry should consider 5% interest subvention on term loan and working capital, upfront central financial assistance of 30% on capex, increase export incentive from 2% to 8% under Remission of Duties or Taxes on Export Product (RoDTEP) which will aid indigenous solar manufacturing.聽Basic Custom Duty. Further, the industry awaits the implementation of Basic Custom Duty (BCD) with exemption to Special Economic Zone (SEZ) based solar manufacturers and the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. In our view, bringing down Minimum Alternate Tax聽(MAT) for units operating in SEZs, extending Section 10 AA of Income Tax Act till 31 March 2022 for SEZ based solar manufacturing unit, preferred interest rate support and priority lending support for manufacturing units, availability of National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF) for expanding solar research and development are critical to augment domestic solar manufacturing. Tariff barriers. Additionally, the government to consider implementing tariff barriers like BCD/Safeguard Duty/ADD for at least four to five years. Offering capital subsidy of 50% for setting up research and development and quality testing infrastructure within the manufacturing units will help build scale. Also, super-deductions of 200% of the research and development (R&D) expenditure for new and clean solar technology development should be allowed. India already offers super-deduction of 200% of the R&D expenditure in emerging areas such as biotechnology which has led to rapid growth of Indian biotech and pharma companies.Considering the importance of the electric vehicle (EV) battery ecosystem in a solar-smart nation, special funds to be allocated for this development. Such a move will not only encourage economic recovery amidst the pandemic, but will also provide an enabling ecosystem to make India the global manufacturing hub for solar.聽 Author: Saibaba Vutukuri is CEO of Vikram Solar.

Infrastructure Urban

13 Jun 2025

Reliance, Diehl Advance Pact for Precision-Guided Munitions

Diehl Defence CEO Helmut Rauch and Reliance Group鈥檚 Founder Chairman Anil D. Ambani have held discussions to advance their ongoing strategic partnership focused on Guided and Terminally Guided Munitions (TGM), under a cooperation agreement originally signed in 2019.This collaboration underscores Diehl Defence鈥檚 long-term commitment to the Indian market and its support for the Indian Government鈥檚 Make in India initiative. The partnership鈥檚 current emphasis is on the urgent supply of the Vulcano 155mm Precision Guided Munition system to the Indian Armed Forces.Simultaneously, the 鈥淰ulc..

Infrastructure Urban

13 Jun 2025

Modis Navnirman to Migrate to Main Board, Merge Subsidiary

Modis Navnirman Limited has announced that its Board of Directors has approved a key strategic initiative involving migration from the BSE SME platform to the Main Board of both BSE and NSE, alongside a merger with its wholly owned subsidiary, Shree Modis Navnirman Private Limited.The move to the main boards marks a major milestone in the company鈥檚 growth trajectory, reflecting its consistent financial performance, robust corporate governance, and long-term commitment to value creation. This transition will grant the company access to a broader investor base, improve market participation, en..

Infrastructure Urban

13 Jun 2025

Global Capital Flows Remain Subdued, EMEA Leads in Q1 2025

The Bharat InvITs Association鈥檚 industry update for Q1 2025 shows subdued global capital flows, with investment volumes remaining at the lower end of the five-year range despite a late 2024 recovery. According to data from Colliers and MSCI Real Capital Analytics, activity in North America declined slightly, while EMEA maintained steady levels and emerged as the top region for investment in standing assets.The EMEA region now hosts seven of the top ten cross-border capital destinations for standing assets, pushing the United States鈥� share of global activity below 15 per cent. Meanwhile, in..