MNRE Extends ALMM to Solar Ingots and Wafers From June 1, 2028

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has extended India's Approved List of Models and Manufacturers framework further upstream in the photovoltaic supply chain, introducing ALMM List III for solar wafers and ingots.

The new requirements are scheduled to take effect on June 1, 2028.

From that date, projects covered by the framework, including net-metering and open-access projects, will be required to use ALMM-listed wafers. Manufacturers seeking wafer enlistment will also need matching domestic ingot-manufacturing capacity.

The measure extends India's ALMM system beyond solar modules and cells into a part of the supply chain where the country currently remains heavily dependent on imports.

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ALMM List III Takes Effect on June 1, 2028

MNRE's March 2026 amendment establishes June 1, 2028 as the effective date for the new wafer requirements.

The ministry said that from that date, all projects falling within the applicable ALMM framework must use ALMM-listed wafers, including net-metering and open-access projects.

The new structure adds a third stage to the ALMM framework:

ALMM List	Solar Component
List I	Solar PV modules
List II	Solar PV cells
List III	Solar wafers, backed by equivalent ingot capacity

India's first ALMM module list was issued in March 2021. The first solar-cell List II was issued in July 2025 and has subsequently been revised multiple times.

Initial List Requires at Least 15 GW of Wafer Capacity

MNRE has included a domestic-capacity threshold before the first ALMM List III can be published.

The initial list will not be issued until at least three independent wafer-manufacturing units are operational in India.

Those units must:

• not be under common ownership or control; and
• have a combined annual wafer-manufacturing capacity of at least 15 GW.

The threshold is intended to ensure that a minimum level of domestic supply exists before the new sourcing requirement becomes mandatory.

Wafer Manufacturers Must Also Produce Ingots

The new framework goes beyond simply approving wafer factories.

A company seeking enlistment in ALMM List III for wafers must also have ingot-manufacturing capacity equivalent to the wafer capacity it wants enlisted.

That requirement effectively links the two upstream manufacturing stages.

Ingots are produced from processed silicon and are subsequently sliced into wafers, which are then used to manufacture photovoltaic cells.

MNRE said the requirement is designed to promote deeper upstream integration rather than allowing wafer production to rely entirely on imported ingots.

Seven-Day Cut-Off Applies to Section 63 Bids

The framework also establishes a cut-off date linked to publication of the first ALMM List III.

The cut-off will fall seven days after the initial wafer list is published.

Projects for which bids are submitted under the Section 63 competitive-bidding route after that cut-off will have to specify the use of ALMM List III-compliant wafers.

This means the publication date of the first list will become an important procedural date for future project tenders.

Projects Already in the Pipeline Receive Grandfathering Protection

MNRE has included grandfathering provisions for projects already under development.

The ministry said separate lists will be maintained for projects qualifying for grandfathering so that existing projects are not disrupted by the transition to the new wafer requirements.

The amendment also states that the new ALMM provisions do not override or weaken existing Domestic Content Requirement rules under MNRE schemes.

DCR requirements therefore continue to operate separately where applicable.

ALMM List I Will Also Change From June 2028

The June 2028 rules affect more than the wafer list itself.

From the effective date, ALMM List I for solar modules will include only modules manufactured using ALMM-listed cells and ALMM-listed wafers, according to the government's announcement.

That creates a linked sourcing chain:

Approved wafer → approved cell → approved module

The policy therefore extends ALMM traceability deeper into the manufacturing process.

India Remains Import-Dependent for Solar Wafers

MNRE described wafers as a critical intermediate stage between polysilicon and solar-cell manufacturing.

While India has rapidly increased its module and cell manufacturing capacity, domestic wafer production remains limited and the industry continues to rely substantially on imported upstream components.

The government expects the new framework to encourage investment in domestic ingot and wafer facilities, improve component traceability and reduce exposure to external supply disruptions.

The policy is also intended to increase domestic value addition across the photovoltaic manufacturing chain.

ALMM Module Capacity Had Reached About 172 GW by March

When the List III amendment was announced in March 2026, the government said ALMM List I module capacity had increased from 8.2 GW in 2021 to around 172 GW.

ALMM List II for cells had reached approximately 27 GW within seven months of its introduction.

The ALMM framework has continued to be updated since then.

As of September 2026, MNRE's official ALMM page lists the ninth revision of List II for solar cells, dated August 21, 2026, along with an updated List I dated August 3. The same page carries the March 17 amendment introducing the future wafer framework.

Initial ALMM List III Has Not Yet Been Published

As of September 16, 2026, MNRE's official ALMM page lists the amendment for implementation of ALMM for wafers but does not show an initial operational ALMM List III.

That is consistent with the structure of the policy: the initial wafer list is to be issued only after the required minimum of three independent manufacturers and 15 GW of combined manufacturing capacity is available.

The List III requirement itself is scheduled to become effective on June 1, 2028.

Government Links Policy to Domestic Solar Manufacturing

Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi said the extension is intended to strengthen domestic solar production, improve supply-chain resilience and reduce import dependence.

The government has identified four expected effects from the policy:

• investment in ingot and wafer manufacturing;
• lower exposure to import disruptions;
• greater component traceability from wafer to finished module; and
• additional skilled employment in upstream manufacturing.

The government has also linked the policy with India's broader objective of achieving 500 GW of non-fossil-fuel electricity capacity by 2030.

India's ALMM Framework Is Moving Up the Solar Supply Chain

The original ALMM framework was introduced under the Approved Models and Manufacturers of Solar Photovoltaic Modules Order, 2019.

The framework initially concentrated on solar modules.

It has since expanded progressively:

Stage	Development
2019	ALMM Order introduced
March 2021	First ALMM List I for modules issued
July 2025	First ALMM List II for solar cells issued
March 2026	ALMM List III framework for wafers announced
June 1, 2028	List III wafer sourcing requirement scheduled to take effect

MNRE says the framework is intended to ensure the reliability and traceability of products used in long-life solar assets, where cells and modules typically carry long-term warranties.

Net-Metering and Open-Access Projects Are Included

The wafer requirement is not limited to central government tenders or large utility projects.

MNRE specifically states that net-metering and open-access projects are included from June 1, 2028.

The official ALMM framework already covers relevant government projects, government-assisted projects, projects under government schemes, open-access projects and net-metering installations under its applicable rules.

The List III amendment extends the upstream wafer requirement across this framework.

Key Numbers

Provision	Detail
ALMM List III effective date	June 1, 2028
Minimum independent manufacturers	3
Minimum combined wafer capacity	15 GW
Section 63 cut-off	7 days after first List III publication
Required ingot capacity	Equivalent to enlisted wafer capacity
Module ALMM capacity cited in March 2026	~172 GW
Cell ALMM capacity cited in March 2026	~27 GW
India's non-fossil capacity goal	500 GW by 2030

What Happens Next

The immediate next step is the development of sufficient domestic ingot and wafer manufacturing capacity to meet the conditions for publication of the first List III.

MNRE will need at least three independent manufacturing units with a combined 15 GW of wafer capacity before issuing that initial list.

Once the list is published, the seven-day cut-off for relevant Section 63 bids will begin.

The wider sourcing requirement is then scheduled to take effect on June 1, 2028.

Vantage Radar will track publication of the first ALMM List III, additions to domestic wafer capacity and any further clarifications issued by MNRE.

Conclusion

India's ALMM framework is moving another stage upstream.

After introducing approved lists for modules and cells, MNRE has now established a framework that will bring solar wafers and their associated ingot manufacturing capacity under the system from June 1, 2028.

The policy requires a minimum domestic supply base before the first list can be issued, preserves grandfathering for qualifying existing projects and leaves current DCR rules unchanged.

As of September 2026, the framework has been notified, but the first operational ALMM List III has not yet appeared on MNRE's public ALMM page.

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Sources

Press Information Bureau / MNRE: Official March 18, 2026 announcement on ALMM List III, effective date, capacity threshold, grandfathering and ingot requirements.

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy: Current ALMM page showing List I, List II revisions and the March 17, 2026 amendment for implementation of ALMM for wafers.

Akashvani News: Government report on the extension of ALMM to solar ingots and wafers.