Renewable energy equipment: If you want to sell in India, manufacture here, says RK Singh

India will try to ensure that jobs created from the rapid increase in renewable energy capacity remain in the country, Power and Renewable Energy Minister RK Singh said Thursday.

He noted that tariff barriers on import of renewable energy equipment would remain in place and that non-tariff barriers would practically restrict the purchase of such equipment to those manufactured locally. The government has announced a 40 per cent basic customs duty (BCD) on solar modules and 25 per cent on solar cells from April 1, 2022, aimed at encouraging local manufacturing.

“If you want to sell in India, you will have to set up manufacturing here. If you don’t set up manufacturing here, I can give it to you in writing that you will not qualify for entry into that approved list of models and manufacturers,” Singh said at an event on self reliance in renewable energy manufacturing organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

He added that other countries had also placed such non-tariff barriers and that it was necessary that India keep the jobs created by the country’s rapid addition in renewable energy capacity.