India installed a record 34.56 GW of non-fossil fuel power capacity during the first eight months of FY26, up to November 2025, its highest-ever annual addition in this segment.
Solar energy led the expansion with 27.20 GW, followed by 3.95 GW from wind, 2.68 GW from hydropower, 0.03 GW from bio-power, and 0.70 GW from nuclear energy.
As of November 30, 2025, renewable sources made up about 49.83% of the nation’s total installed power generation capacity, highlighting a significant shift in India’s energy structure. By the end of December 2025, the share of non-fossil fuel capacity had surpassed 50%, rising to 51.93%.
India’s energy landscape is undergoing a major transformation, with renewables now contributing nearly half of its installed power capacity. The country continues to hold a strong global position third in overall renewable capacity and installed solar capacity, and fourth in wind capacity. Total renewable energy capacity has grown more than threefold in the last decade, rising from 76.38 GW in March 2014 to 253.96 GW by November 2025. This rapid expansion reflects the success of national policies, large-scale project development, and robust private sector involvement.
To maintain this momentum, several challenges need to be addressed, including high capital costs, delays in land acquisition, and constraints in grid infrastructure. Solutions such as innovative financing instruments and streamlined project execution will be critical.
Greater integration of battery energy storage systems and pumped storage hydropower is also necessary to manage the intermittency of renewable energy, improve grid stability, support peak-load management, and enable large-scale renewable adoption for a secure and resilient power system.
By December 31, 2025, India had added a total of 38.61 GW of renewable energy capacity during the year, consisting of 30.16 GW of solar power, 4.47 GW of wind, 0.03 GW of bio-power, and 3.24 GW of hydropower. According to global renewable energy statistics for 2025, India now ranks fourth worldwide in total installed renewable capacity, behind China, the United States, and Brazil.
Despite strong progress, challenges remain. Solar and wind systems are highly material-intensive and require substantial investment in energy storage technologies to ensure smooth integration with the grid. These material and storage demands extend beyond access to critical minerals and carry implications for mining and processing needs.
The expansion of energy storage also requires considerable investment. The cost-effectiveness of storage depends heavily on how often each megawatt of storage capacity is used annually typically lower for short-term storage compared to long-term solutions.
