Delhi-headquartered Eastman Auto & Power has commissioned an 800 MW solar module manufacturing plant in Sonipat, Haryana, to produce bifacial TOPCon and Mono PERC modules.

The facility manufactures modules for domestic content requirement (DCR) and non-DCR markets.

With the commissioning of the solar manufacturing plant, the company’s backward-integrated solar solutions now span solar modules, grid-tie, off-grid, and hybrid inverters, as well as energy storage batteries. The company also offers solutions for last-mile e-mobility.

Eastman said it plans to drive the adoption of solar-plus-storage solutions after commissioning its solar module manufacturing facility.

Recently, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) expanded the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) by adding 11,035 MW of solar module capacity. The cumulative module manufacturing capacity under ALMM now stands at 173,144 MW.

To ensure backward integration in the solar value chain, the government proposed mandating the use of India-made wafers under the ALMM starting June 1, 2028. All projects falling under ALMM’s purview must mandatorily source their modules from ALMM List-I. Such modules must also use solar cells from the ALMM List-II.

The cells, in turn, must use wafers from ALMM List-III. For enlistment in ALMM List-III, the wafer manufacturer must possess an ingot manufacturing capacity equivalent to the wafer manufacturing capacity that it intends to get enlisted in ALMM. Currently, India has no wafer or ingot manufacturing capacity.

Despite a strong push for domestic manufacturing of solar modules and cells, India continues to see rising imports of solar cells and modules, leaving greater potential for the expansion of the solar manufacturing sector, contrary to expectations of a solar module glut.

According to data from the Department of Commerce, India imported solar cells and modules worth over $1.12 billion (~₹100.2 billion) in the fourth quarter of 2025, a 55.6% year-over-year increase from $723.4 million (~₹61.1 billion).