India Surpasses the U.S. in Solar Capacity Additions, Becoming the Global Solar Leader

India continues to strengthen its position in the global clean energy landscape. The country has achieved milestones in solar power generation and capacity addition, reflecting the rapid pace of its renewable energy transition. A new report by the International Renewable Energy Agency highlights India's growing contribution to global solar expansion and its emergence as a leading producer of solar power. Tapas Bhattacharya has more. India's solar power journey has entered a new league. For the first time ever, India has overtaken the United States in annual solar capacity addition, emerging as the world's second largest contributor in 2025. According to the latest International Renewable Energy Agency or ARENA report, India added more than 37 gigawatts of solar capacity during the year, surpassing the United States which added 34 gigawatts. The achievement places India second globally for annual solar capacity addition in 2025. The growth story reflects both unprecedented speed and scale. From just 2.65 gigawatts in 2014, India took 96 months to reach the 50 gigawatt mark. The next 50 gigawatts were added in just 36 months. And the leap from 100 to 150 gigawatts came in only 14 months, between January 2025 and March 2026. India has also surpassed Japan to become the world's third largest solar power producer. ARENA data shows India generated over 108,000 gigawatt-hours of solar electricity comfortably ahead of Japan's 96,000 gigawatt-hours. The year 2025-26 has been record-breaking for India's solar sector. The country added an unprecedented 44.61 gigawatts of solar capacity, nearly double the previous record of 23.83 gigawatts achieved a year earlier, and well above the annual target of 34 gigawatts. A remarkable milestone that underscores India's rapid rise as a global clean energy powerhouse.