India added 36.6 GW of solar in 2025, overtaking America
Signals InboxSeptember 2, 2026Solar
India added 36.6 GW of solar in 2025, up 43% from the prior year, and overtook the United States in annual additions. China remains far ahead, but the number changes the second-place race: India is now adding solar at a scale that makes it one of the world's defining deployment markets.
🚨India become the world's second-largest solar market, surpassing the US in annual capacity additions for 2025. pic.twitter.com/NCaM5vmGz4
— India & The World (@IndianInfoGuid) June 4, 2026
Q1What do the official numbers show?
India's government said in a 2026 solar review that the country added about 37 GW in 2025 and surpassed the U.S. in annual additions. Mercom India calculates 36.6 GW.
Q2How fast did India grow?
Mercom says 2025 additions rose nearly 43% from 25.6 GW in 2024. It was also the first year India installed more than 30 GW of solar in a calendar year.
Q3Where did the capacity come from?
Large-scale projects accounted for roughly 81% of new capacity and rooftop solar about 19%. Rajasthan, Gujarat and other high-solar states continue to anchor utility-scale development.
Q4Does this mean India passed China?
No. China remains in a different league for annual solar deployment. The power shift is that India moved ahead of the U.S. into second place for new annual capacity.
Q5Why does second place matter?
Developers, manufacturers and grid companies follow where gigawatts are actually being installed. Sustained 30-plus-GW years would make India a core global demand center rather than mainly a future-growth story.