India has overtaken the United States to become the world’s second largest solar market in 2025. The country added 37 gigawatts of solar capacity during the year, slightly ahead of the US which installed 34 gigawatts. China continued to dominate the global solar sector with a massive addition of 315 gigawatts.
India’s cumulative installed solar capacity reached 135.5 gigawatts by the end of 2025. In comparison, the US stood at 211.6 gigawatts. India’s rapid growth reflects strong government support, rising investments and faster project execution. The country has set a target of 500 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030, and solar power is expected to play the leading role in achieving this goal.
The pace of installations has accelerated sharply. India crossed 50 gigawatts in 2022, added another 50 gigawatts in the following three years, and then installed 50 gigawatts more in just 14 months between January 2025 and March 2026. By April 2026, total solar capacity touched 154 gigawatts. In financial year 2026 alone, India added 44.61 gigawatts, far exceeding the target of 34 gigawatts and almost doubling the previous record of 23.83 gigawatts in financial year 2025.
Energy Minister Pralhad Joshi said India has emerged as the fastest growing major solar market. The country now ranks third globally in renewable energy installed capacity, with half of its total 288 gigawatts coming from non fossil sources.
Despite this progress, solar contributes less than 30 percent to actual power generation. Daytime demand is easing but night time shortages remain a challenge. India’s solar boom shows its ambition to lead the global clean energy transition.
