Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Saturday, June 6, 2026, highlighted India's solar energy expansion under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, noting that the country's installed solar capacity has grown from 2.8 GW in 2014 to 155 GW in 2026 — a nearly 55-fold increase over twelve years.

Context

Shekhawat's post, written in Hindi, describes the transformation as 'ek jan-andolan' (a people's movement), crediting Modi's vision for converting what was once considered a distant possibility into a nationwide reality. He specifically noted that more than 40 lakh (4 million) homes are now powered by solar energy, and that the agricultural sector has seen its solar capacity double.

The minister invoked a new identity for India's farmers, calling them not just 'annadaata' (food providers) but now also 'urjadaata' (energy providers) — a reference to the growing adoption of solar installations on farmland and the PM-KUSUM scheme that enables farmers to sell surplus solar power to the grid.

Policy Backdrop

India's solar ambitions have deep policy roots. The Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission, launched in 2010, set the country's first structured solar targets — initially 20 GW by 2022, later revised to 100 GW by 2022. Post-2014, the pace of capacity addition accelerated sharply, driven by central schemes, competitive tariff auctions, and a steep fall in global solar technology costs.

The PM-KUSUM scheme, introduced in 2019, specifically targeted the farm sector by subsidising solar pumps and enabling grid-connected solar plants on agricultural land. At COP26 in 2021, India announced an enhanced target of 500 GW non-fossil fuel electricity capacity by 2030, a commitment embedded in its Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement. India is also a founding co-proposer of the International Solar Alliance, launched jointly with France in 2015, which now counts over 120 member nations.

Stakeholders and Impact

The expansion has direct implications for rural households and farming communities, who have historically faced unreliable grid power. Rooftop solar programmes and agricultural solar installations reduce electricity bills, provide income from surplus generation, and reduce dependence on diesel pumps.

For the broader economy, a larger domestic solar base supports India's energy security goals and reduces import dependence on fossil fuels. The sector has also become a significant employer and a destination for both domestic and foreign investment in manufacturing and project development.

What's Next

India's stated goal remains 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030, of which solar is expected to form the largest share. Shekhawat's post underscores the political messaging around this target ahead of key parliamentary sessions where renewable energy progress and scheme allocations are likely to be debated.

The rollout pace of rooftop solar under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana and continued expansion of PM-KUSUM will be closely watched as indicators of whether the 500 GW milestone remains on track by the end of the decade.