Tata and Reliance vie for India's $2.4 billion solar incentives

09 Mar 2023 CW Team

People familiar with the situation, who requested anonymity because the information has not been made public, say that Indian companies JSW Energy Ltd., Avaada Group, and ReNew Energy Global Plc, as well as the U.S. company First Solar Inc., are also showing interest. According to the individuals, none of the bidders included the troubled Adani Group, one of the largest manufacturers of solar panels in the nation.

The financial support is part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's plan to transform the country into a manufacturing powerhouse, resulting in the creation of more jobs and a reduction in imports that can deplete foreign exchange reserves. In light of a worldwide push to diversify supply chains following the pandemic, his "Make in India" campaign aims to promote India as an alternative to China.

To increase the nation's module-making capacity to as much as 90 gigawatts, which would be sufficient to satisfy its own needs and serve export markets, the government is providing grants. However, there are concerns that India's transition goals are being undermined by the focus on domestic manufacturing, which is slowing down renewable power projects. In an effort to speed up projects, Power Minister Raj Kumar Singh stated last month that his department is considering temporarily "relaxing" a significant obstacle to module imports.

JSW Energy, Avaada Group, and Reliance representatives declined to comment. Adani, Tata Power, ReNew, and First Solar, as well as the renewables ministry, did not immediately respond to emailed requests for comment. After being extended multiple times, the state-run Solar Energy Corp.'s bids ended on February 28. Projects and incentives are still under wraps.

Reliance Industries Ltd. and Tata Power Co., two manufacturers of solar modules, are among the bidders for 195 billion rupees (2.4 billion USD) in financial incentives that India is offering to increase domestic manufacturing and reduce panel imports from China's dominant producer. People familiar with the situation, who requested anonymity because the information has not been made public, say that Indian companies JSW Energy Ltd., Avaada Group, and ReNew Energy Global Plc, as well as the U.S. company First Solar Inc., are also showing interest. According to the individuals, none of the bidders included the troubled Adani Group, one of the largest manufacturers of solar panels in the nation. The financial support is part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's plan to transform the country into a manufacturing powerhouse, resulting in the creation of more jobs and a reduction in imports that can deplete foreign exchange reserves. In light of a worldwide push to diversify supply chains following the pandemic, his Make in India campaign aims to promote India as an alternative to China. To increase the nation's module-making capacity to as much as 90 gigawatts, which would be sufficient to satisfy its own needs and serve export markets, the government is providing grants. However, there are concerns that India's transition goals are being undermined by the focus on domestic manufacturing, which is slowing down renewable power projects. In an effort to speed up projects, Power Minister Raj Kumar Singh stated last month that his department is considering temporarily relaxing a significant obstacle to module imports. JSW Energy, Avaada Group, and Reliance representatives declined to comment. Adani, Tata Power, ReNew, and First Solar, as well as the renewables ministry, did not immediately respond to emailed requests for comment. After being extended multiple times, the state-run Solar Energy Corp.'s bids ended on February 28. Projects and incentives are still under wraps.

Infrastructure Transport

13 Oct 2025

Tata, Airbus to Build India’s First Private Helicopter Line

In a landmark development for India’s aerospace sector, Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and Airbus will establish the country’s first private-sector helicopter assembly line in Vemagal, Karnataka. The facility will manufacture the Airbus H125 and H125M, marking a significant milestone in India’s push for self-reliance in aviation and defence manufacturing. The new Final Assembly Line (FAL) will produce the H125, the world’s best-selling single-engine helicopter, known for its versatility and performance in extreme environments. The first ‘Made in India’ H125 is expected to ro..

Infrastructure Urban

13 Oct 2025

NeGD to Support Bharat Taxi in Building Cooperative Ride Platform

In a significant move for India’s digital and mobility transformation, the National e-Governance Division (NeGD) of the Digital India Corporation, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), has entered into an advisory partnership with Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Limited, the company behind Bharat Taxi — a first-of-its-kind, cooperative-led national ride-hailing platform. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between NeGD and Sahakar Taxi to provide strategic advisory and technical support covering key areas such as platform integration, cybersecurity..

Technology

13 Oct 2025

MeitY Hosts Pre-Summit for India–AI Impact Summit 2026

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, hosted a series of Pre-Summit events for the upcoming India–AI Impact Summit 2026 at the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025 in New Delhi. These sessions mark a key milestone ahead of the main summit, scheduled for 19–20 February 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Delivering the inaugural address, S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, highlighted India’s innovative and frugal approach to AI development. “We have adopted innovative means by learning from others’ experiences to build projects and products that..