Tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) technology now makes up 51.6% of India’s operational solar cell manufacturing capacity, according to Mercom India’s PV Manufacturing Tracker data released on 21 October 2026. Monocrystalline technology holds the second-largest share at 45%, while the remaining capacity is spread across other technologies. The shift puts TOPCon ahead of monocrystalline cells in India’s operational cell base at a time when domestic cell supply has become central to the country’s solar procurement rules.

A Rapidly Expanding Cell Base

The milestone comes as India’s cell manufacturing base grows quickly. Mercom reported on 13 October 2026 that the country’s operational solar cell manufacturing capacity is approaching the 50 GW mark. Module manufacturing has expanded even faster, with operational module capacity estimated at about 5.5 times operational cell capacity, which keeps domestic cells the tighter link in India’s solar supply chain. Several of the largest cell lines commissioned in recent weeks have been built around TOPCon technology.

Large TOPCon Plants Drive the Shift

The largest single addition came from Premier Energies, which commissioned a 7 GW N-type TOPCon G12R solar cell facility at Naidupeta, Andhra Pradesh, on 21 September 2026. According to the company’s stock exchange disclosure, the 101-acre plant was developed at a capital expenditure of ₹3,293 crore, is designed to produce approximately 88,000 cells per hour, and has begun trial runs. The facility takes Premier Energies’ total cell capacity to 10.6 GW, which the company says makes it India’s largest solar cell manufacturer.

Premier Energies is targeting an average cell efficiency of about 25.8% once the plant stabilises and ramps up. The lines have also been designed to accommodate upgrades to next-generation TOPCon+ processes, including poly-finger metallisation and advanced edge isolation. Managing Director Chiranjeev Saluja described the on-time, within-budget commissioning as an important execution milestone, adding that, together with the company’s planned backward integration into ingots and wafers, it supports its strategy of building a fully integrated manufacturing platform.

Days earlier, on 17 September 2026, Alpex Solar inaugurated a 2.2 GW G12R TOPCon solar cell manufacturing facility at the Kosi Kotwan Industrial Area in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. Spread over 9 lakh sq. ft., the plant marks the company’s move from module manufacturing and EPC services into cell production. Chief Executive Officer Aditya Sehgal called it an important milestone in Alpex Solar’s journey towards becoming a more deeply integrated renewable energy company, while Whole-time Director Monica Sehgal described it as a strategic investment in manufacturing depth across the solar PV value chain. The company, which operates facilities in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, has also said it plans five new manufacturing units across Greater Noida, Kosi Kotwan and Madhya Pradesh.

ALMM Framework Raises the Stakes for Domestic Cells

The technology transition is unfolding alongside the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s (MNRE) Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) List-II for solar PV cells, which requires covered projects to use cells from enlisted domestic manufacturers. The ministry has revised the list regularly as new capacity comes online, starting with its first revision in September 2025 and reaching its ninth revision on 21 August 2026. For net-metering and open access projects, MNRE has ruled out a blanket extension of the List-II requirement, allowing only a limited window up to 31 December 2026 for commissioning.

The ministry has also moved further up the value chain. In March 2026, it introduced ALMM List-III for ingots and wafers, which will take effect on 1 June 2028. From that date, all solar projects, including net-metering and open access projects, will be required to use ALMM-listed wafers. The initial list will be issued only after at least three independent manufacturers with a combined capacity of 15 GW are operational, and wafer makers seeking enlistment must also hold equivalent ingot capacity. Projects already in the pipeline are protected through grandfathering provisions, and existing Domestic Content Requirement norms remain unchanged. Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi described the move as a decisive step that would boost domestic production, strengthen supply-chain resilience and reduce import dependence.

Outlook

TOPCon’s majority share shows that India’s growing cell base is being built largely around n-type technology, with the largest recent additions designed for higher efficiencies and future TOPCon+ upgrades. However, cell capacity still trails module capacity by a wide margin, keeping the availability of domestic cells a key constraint for ALMM-compliant projects. With large new lines still in trial runs and ramp-up, and the List-III deadline approaching, the next phase is likely to centre on reaching rated efficiencies and utilisation at new TOPCon plants and extending domestic manufacturing upstream into ingots and wafers, a direction Premier Energies has already signalled.

Official Sources

1. Premier Energies Ltd – Press Release: Commissioning of 7 GW Solar Cell Facility at Naidupeta (BSE filing, 21 September 2026): https://www.bseindia.com/xml-data/corpfiling/AttachLive/2c786561-8b24-4e24-9599-89cbb162bf89.pdf
2. Alpex Solar Ltd – Press Release: Inauguration of 2.2 GW G12R TOPCon Solar Cell Plant (NSE filing, 17 September 2026): https://nsearchives.nseindia.com/corporate/ALPEXSOLAR_17092026125021_File.pdf
3. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy – 9th Revision of ALMM List-II for Solar PV Cells (21 August 2026): https://mnre.gov.in/?p=29532
4. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy – ALMM List-II: Limited Window till 31.12.2026 for Net-Metering and Open Access Projects: https://mnre.gov.in/en/notice/almm-list-ii-for-solar-pv-cells-no-blanket-extension-subject-to-limited-window-till-31-12-2026-for-commissioning-net-metering-and-open-access-re-power-projects/
5. All India Radio News (Prasar Bharati) – MNRE Extends ALMM Framework to Cover Solar Ingots and Wafers from June 1, 2028 (18 March 2026): https://www.newsonair.gov.in/ministry-of-new-and-renewable-energy-extends-almm-framework-to-cover-solar-ingots-and-wafers-from-june-1-2028