Union Science and Technology Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, inaugurated India's first-ever indigenous PECVD (Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition) Setup for the fabrication of amorphous silicon (a-Si) solar cells at the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS) in Kolkata, marking a significant milestone in the country's push for self-reliance in advanced solar energy research.

Context

The inauguration took place in the presence of IACS Director Professor Kalobaran Maiti, senior officials, and distinguished dignitaries. The PECVD setup is described as the first of its kind to be indigenously developed in India for the fabrication of a-Si solar cells — a thin-film photovoltaic technology with applications in low-cost, flexible solar devices.

Dr. Singh stated that 'the initiative marks an important step towards strengthening India's self-reliance in advanced solar energy research, innovation and clean technology development.' The development signals a shift from dependence on imported photovoltaic components to building domestic fabrication capability within a premier public research institution.

Policy Backdrop

The inauguration sits within a long-running policy arc. India's Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission, launched in 2010, set the foundational framework for accelerating domestic solar technology development. The Make in India initiative, launched in 2014, further reinforced the push for indigenous manufacturing capabilities, including in the renewable energy equipment sector.

IACS, established in 1876, is one of India's oldest and most prestigious fundamental sciences research institutions. Its focus on condensed matter physics and materials research makes it a natural home for advanced photovoltaic fabrication work. Successive governments have linked science and technology investments at institutes like IACS to national targets for non-fossil fuel energy capacity and India's broader climate commitments.

India has pursued greater self-reliance in solar photovoltaic technologies through public research institutions, aiming to reduce dependence on imported cells and modules — a strategic concern given the dominance of foreign suppliers in the current solar supply chain.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries of this development are India's solar research community and the broader renewable energy industry. An indigenous PECVD fabrication capability at a national institution like IACS opens pathways for academic researchers to develop, test, and refine a-Si solar cell technologies without reliance on foreign infrastructure.

For the renewable energy sector, the establishment of such a facility could, over time, contribute to the knowledge base required to scale domestic thin-film solar manufacturing. Industry stakeholders engaged in production-linked incentive schemes for solar manufacturing may also find alignment with the research outputs generated at IACS.

What's Next

The inauguration is expected to prompt further scrutiny of whether similar indigenous fabrication facilities will be established at other national laboratories across India. Observers will watch for announcements linking IACS research outputs to commercial or industrial solar manufacturing programmes.

The integration of such research capabilities with existing government schemes for solar energy production could be a key next step, as India works toward its ambitious renewable energy targets and seeks to build a resilient, domestically anchored solar technology ecosystem.