Indian Solar Firms Reroute Supply Chains Amid US Tariffs

24 Oct 2025 CW Team

Indian solar manufacturers are restructuring their supply chains to retain access to the profitable United States market and offset the impact of steep new tariffs, company executives said.

The development follows U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to impose tariffs of up to 50 per cent on most exports from India, among the highest levies faced by any U.S. trading partner. The duties came into effect on 27 August.

In a post-earnings call on Friday, Vikram Solar, which derives around 15 per cent of its current order book from the U.S. market, said it was adapting to the new tariff structure by sourcing solar cells from countries with lower duties. Under U.S. trade policy, tariffs on solar modules are determined by the country in which the solar cell’s PN junction — the component responsible for generating electricity — is formed.

This means that even if a solar module is assembled in India, the U.S. applies tariffs based on the origin of the cell used inside. “We are exploring alternative supply chains from countries with significant cell capacities that face lower levies than India,” said Rinal Shah, an executive at Vikram Solar.

The company did not disclose whether the new tariffs had impacted its September-quarter earnings but expressed confidence in continuing U.S. deliveries despite the trade challenges.

Waaree Energies, India’s largest solar module manufacturer and one of the top exporters to the U.S., confirmed that it was not using domestically produced solar cells for American shipments to avoid higher tariffs. The company is currently under investigation by U.S. authorities, who allege it circumvented tariffs on Chinese-made cells and panels by relabelling them as “Made in India” — an accusation Waaree has firmly denied.

Waaree CEO Amit Paithankar said during an analyst call that the company’s supply chain for U.S. exports is “completely China-free” and fully compliant with trade regulations. “We have also configured it in such a way that the tariff problems associated with exports are minimised,” he said.

Waaree added that its U.S. orders remain unaffected so far by the tariffs and the ongoing trade probe, as the company continues to adjust sourcing and logistics to safeguard market access.

Indian solar manufacturers are restructuring their supply chains to retain access to the profitable United States market and offset the impact of steep new tariffs, company executives said. The development follows U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to impose tariffs of up to 50 per cent on most exports from India, among the highest levies faced by any U.S. trading partner. The duties came into effect on 27 August. In a post-earnings call on Friday, Vikram Solar, which derives around 15 per cent of its current order book from the U.S. market, said it was adapting to the new tariff structure by sourcing solar cells from countries with lower duties. Under U.S. trade policy, tariffs on solar modules are determined by the country in which the solar cell’s PN junction — the component responsible for generating electricity — is formed. This means that even if a solar module is assembled in India, the U.S. applies tariffs based on the origin of the cell used inside. “We are exploring alternative supply chains from countries with significant cell capacities that face lower levies than India,” said Rinal Shah, an executive at Vikram Solar. The company did not disclose whether the new tariffs had impacted its September-quarter earnings but expressed confidence in continuing U.S. deliveries despite the trade challenges. Waaree Energies, India’s largest solar module manufacturer and one of the top exporters to the U.S., confirmed that it was not using domestically produced solar cells for American shipments to avoid higher tariffs. The company is currently under investigation by U.S. authorities, who allege it circumvented tariffs on Chinese-made cells and panels by relabelling them as “Made in India” — an accusation Waaree has firmly denied. Waaree CEO Amit Paithankar said during an analyst call that the company’s supply chain for U.S. exports is “completely China-free” and fully compliant with trade regulations. “We have also configured it in such a way that the tariff problems associated with exports are minimised,” he said. Waaree added that its U.S. orders remain unaffected so far by the tariffs and the ongoing trade probe, as the company continues to adjust sourcing and logistics to safeguard market access.

Infrastructure Urban

07 Nov 2025

Welspun Enterprises Wins 910 MLD Panjrapur WTP Contract

Welspun Enterprises (WEL), the infrastructure and energy arm of Welspun World, has secured a major contract from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to design, build and operate a 910 million litres per day (MLD) Water Treatment Plant (WTP) at Panjrapur, Maharashtra.Valued at approximately Rs 31.45 billion, the project encompasses end-to-end civil, mechanical, electrical and instrumentation works, including the construction of a treated water sump and pumping station. Of the total value, nearly Rs 11.56 billion is allocated to Operations & Maintenance (O&M), with an additional..

Infrastructure Energy

07 Nov 2025

Mitsubishi Power Wins Boiler Upgrade Contract for O Mon 1 Plant

Mitsubishi Power, a power solutions brand of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, (MHI), has been awarded a contract to support the oil-to-natural-gas fuel conversion at the O Mon 1 Thermal Power Plant in Can Tho, southern Vietnam. As the OEM of the plant’s existing boiler, Mitsubishi Power will supply key equipment—including new gas burners—and implement a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system to reduce NOx emissions and help the plant meet stricter environmental standards.The O Mon 1 facility includes two 330 MW units that commenced operations in 2009 and 2015, with all major equipment or..

Equipment

07 Nov 2025

Liebherr’s 10,000th XPower Wheel Loader Joins BERGER’s Fleet

BERGER Rohstoffe GmbH has welcomed the 10,000th Liebherr XPower wheel loader to its operations at the Schlag granite quarry in Passau. The milestone machine, officially handed over at Liebherr’s Bischofshofen plant in May 2025, underscores the long-standing partnership between BERGER, Liebherr, and the Beutlhauser Group. Equipped with Liebherr’s signature power-split travel drive, the new L 580 XPower is already delivering strong results under demanding quarry conditions.At the Schlag quarry, BERGER Rohstoffe processes approximately 200,000 tonnes of Bayerwald granite annually into high-qu..