ALMM cell list and PLI Phase 2: India's 2026 cell manufacturing push
MNRE's expected ALMM List of Approved Cells (first edition Q3 2026) combined with PLI scheme Phase 2 awards (announced Q1 2026) is reshaping Indian cell manufacturing. Reliance, Adani, Avaada Electro, Premier Energies, and Waaree are scaling commercial cell production. Domestic cell capacity should cross 100 GW by end-2027.
In 50 words: MNRE's expected ALMM List of Approved Cells (first edition Q3 2026) combined with PLI scheme Phase 2 awards is reshaping Indian cell manufacturing. Reliance, Adani, Avaada Electro, Premier Energies, and Waaree are scaling commercial cell production. Domestic cell capacity should cross 100 GW by end-2027.
The two policy levers
Two simultaneous government interventions reshaping Indian cell manufacturing:
-
ALMM Cell List (Q3 2026 expected) — first formal list of cells eligible for use in government-supported projects. Currently most India-assembled modules use imported cells.
-
PLI Phase 2 awards (announced Q1 2026) — additional incentive for cell + wafer + polysilicon integrated manufacturing.
Who's scaling
Indian cell manufacturing capacity, status Q1 2026:
- Operational: 60 GW combined (Waaree, Adani Solar, Vikram Solar, Premier Energies)
- Under construction: 35 GW (Reliance, Avaada Electro, Tata Power Solar expansion)
- PLI Phase 2 awarded: additional 25 GW commitments (multiple players)
- 2027 forecast operational: 100+ GW
What's still imported
Cell market trade balance, 2025–26:
- Cells imported from China: ~25 GW
- Cells imported from Vietnam: ~12 GW
- Cells imported from Thailand: ~3 GW
These imports fill the domestic cell-to-module manufacturing gap (60 GW cells vs 100 GW modules in India 2026).
What ALMM Cell List will do
Once notified:
- Government-supported projects must use ALMM-listed cells
- Initial transition periods to allow existing module inventory
- Quality and traceability requirements for cell manufacturers
- Likely catalyst for accelerated domestic cell capacity utilisation
What developers should expect
For projects bidding in mid-2026 onwards:
- ALMM-cell premium will emerge — domestic cells initially cost more than imports
- Premium expected to narrow as domestic capacity utilisation rises
- Project costs may rise 3–6% initially for ALMM-cell-required tenders
- Long-term: domestic supply chain enables EU CBAM-compliant exports
Geographic concentration
PLI-incentivised Indian cell manufacturing clustering in:
- Gujarat (Reliance, Adani, Waaree, others)
- Tamil Nadu (Premier Energies, Avaada)
- Andhra Pradesh (Tata Power Solar)
- Karnataka (smaller players)
What to watch next
The ALMM Cell List first notification — expected Q3 2026 — will reveal which manufacturers qualify and what the transition period looks like. The first 12 months of the cell-list regime will determine whether cell capacity utilisation rises as planned.
Researched and drafted with AI assistance; reviewed and edited by the named editor within 24 hours of draft.