India has introduced new cybersecurity guidelines aimed at safeguarding solar power equipment from potential malware threats, particularly from foreign-made components, amid rising concerns over national grid security.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) stated that suppliers of solar inverters — which convert direct current into alternating current for grid and domestic use — must now connect these devices to a government-managed software platform hosted on Indian servers. Additionally, any communication devices linked to these inverters will be required to operate using specialised SIM cards that enable secure, machine-to-machine data transmission without human intervention.

The move comes as digitalisation of power grids globally increases their vulnerability to cyber threats. A recent Reuters report highlighted the United States’ own reassessment of risks linked to Chinese-manufactured inverters, including instances of unidentified communication modules.

“Inverter communication modules that transmit data to servers outside India not only pose risks of unauthorised control but also threaten national energy sovereignty by exposing sensitive consumption and generation data,” the ministry said in an official statement.

The current guidelines focus on rooftop solar inverters, considered the most exposed segment of the power infrastructure due to limited built-in cyber defences. According to the India Smart Grid Forum (ISGF), a government advisory body, data from these devices often reaches manufacturers abroad, many of whom are based in China.

India has about 1.8 million rooftop solar units connected to the national grid, with more than 80 per cent of installed inverters reportedly sourced from Chinese companies, the ISGF noted in a May report.

Under its solar expansion goals, India plans to equip 10 million homes with rooftop systems totalling 30 gigawatts of capacity by March 2027, the ministry added.

News source: Money Control