The 2.4 GW solar cell facility at Sisodara is a key part of backward-integration roadmap, with Phase I involving an investment of approximately INR 1,200 crore. Once commissioned and ramped up, the facility is intended to strengthen domestic availability of high-efficiency solar cells and support closer integration with module manufacturing, says Ankit Singhania, Director, Navitas Solar in an interview with EVolution Auto India.
Q: Navitas Solar has announced INR 10,000-crore investment over the next five years across Gujarat and Maharashtra. What are the key objectives behind this investment plan, and how will it shape the company’s growth strategy?
Our planned INR 10,000-crore investment is aimed at building a stronger presence across the clean-energy value chain. It brings together upstream solar manufacturing, high-efficiency cells and modules, energy storage and renewable power generation.
The objective is to develop capabilities that support long-term competitiveness: greater control over critical inputs, stronger technology expertise and the ability to serve a wider range of energy requirements. For us, this represents an expansion from module manufacturing towards a fully integrated clean-energy ecosystem. Our approach to growth will centre on disciplined execution. Each investment needs to build technical capability, deliver consistent quality and establish a sound commercial foundation. We believe that combining scale with these fundamentals will position us to contribute more meaningfully to India’s energy transition.
Q: The investment spans ingots, wafers, high-efficiency solar cells and modules, along with battery energy storage and renewable power generation. What is driving Navitas Solar’s move towards a more integrated clean-energy value chain?
Solar manufacturing is closely connected across each production stage. The quality and availability of upstream materials influence cell performance, module reliability, and ultimately project economics. Greater integration can help us manage these relationships more effectively while reducing exposure to supply disruptions. There is also a clear customer dimension. Developers and energy users increasingly need solutions that combine dependable equipment, efficient generation and greater flexibility in how power is delivered. Manufacturing, generation and storage address different parts of that requirement.
Our intention is to build expertise across these areas in a measured way. Integration should create tangible value through better quality control, supply visibility, and coordination between technology development and its application in operating projects.
Q: Navitas Solar is developing a 2.4 GW solar cell manufacturing facility at Sisodara, Gujarat, with Phase I involving an investment of around INR 1,200 crore. What is the current progress of the facility, and what will this capacity add to India’s solar manufacturing ecosystem?
The 2.4 GW solar cell facility at Sisodara is a key part of our backward-integration roadmap, with Phase I involving an investment of approximately INR 1,200 crore.
Once commissioned and ramped up, the facility is intended to strengthen domestic availability of high-efficiency solar cells and support closer integration with module manufacturing. Its contribution will extend beyond capacity addition to developing process expertise, skilled employment, and a stronger local supplier ecosystem. Our priority is to establish stable production processes and consistent product quality. A manufacturing facility creates lasting value when it can deliver dependable output at commercially competitive costs, supported by robust quality assurance and continuous process improvement.
Q: The company is also developing pilot lines for ingot and wafer manufacturing. What role will these pilot lines play in building technical capabilities and supporting Navitas Solar’s longer-term plans for deeper integration?
The pilot lines are intended to build practical knowledge before we move towards larger-scale upstream manufacturing. Ingot and wafer production require precise control over material quality, processing conditions and production consistency. Developing these capabilities takes hands-on experience. Pilot operations can help us evaluate process performance, material utilisation, equipment requirements and the compatibility of output with downstream cell manufacturing. They also provide an environment for training technical teams and understanding the economics of future expansion. For us, this is an important step towards informed scale-up. The objective is to develop repeatable processes and establish a technical foundation that can support larger investments with greater confidence.
Q: The investment plan includes a planned 5 GWh battery energy storage facility in Vadodara and two solar parks in Maharashtra. How do you see energy storage and renewable power generation complementing the company’s manufacturing capabilities?
Manufacturing, generation, and storage bring complementary capabilities to the business. Manufacturing determines the quality and performance of the equipment, while generation provides insight into how that equipment operates over time under actual site conditions.
Our planned 5 GWh battery energy storage facility in Vadodara would add another dimension by supporting the management of renewable power variability. Storage can help shift solar electricity to periods when it is needed and improve the flexibility of energy supply, depending on system design and operating requirements. The two solar parks in Maharashtra would further strengthen our exposure to project execution and operations. Together, these businesses can help us understand customer requirements in a better way and connect manufacturing decisions with long-term project performance.
Q: A large-scale expansion will also require skilled talent across manufacturing, engineering, technology and renewable energy. What kind of skilling and talent development will be required to support India’s next phase of solar manufacturing, and what steps is Navitas Solar taking in this direction?
India’s next phase of solar manufacturing will require a broader and deeper talent base. Alongside production operators, the industry needs process engineers, equipment-maintenance specialists, quality professionals, and people skilled in automation, data analysis, and environmental and safety management. Upstream manufacturing brings additional requirements in materials science and precision processing. Storage adds capabilities in electrical integration, battery management and system safety, while renewable projects require expertise in commissioning and operations. Our expansion roadmap will require talent development to progress alongside infrastructure and equipment investments.
The wider industry should place greater emphasis on practical learning and structured career pathways. Building domestic manufacturing capability also means building the people who can operate, improve and sustain it.
Q: Navitas Solar has highlighted supply-chain resilience and greater domestic manufacturing as key priorities. What are the key areas where India needs to strengthen its capabilities to build a more resilient solar ecosystem and reduce exposure to unforeseen global disruptions?
India needs to deepen capability across the supply chain, including upstream materials, ingots, wafers, cells, manufacturing equipment and latest generation technologies. Expanding module capacity is valuable, but resilience also depends on the availability of the inputs and technical services that keep factories running. Domestic capability should be supported by strong research, testing infrastructure and supplier development. Manufacturers also need diversified sourcing, better visibility into critical dependencies, and contingency planning for logistics or geopolitical disruptions.
We see resilience as the ability to maintain quality and delivery commitments when external conditions change. That requires a combination of competitive domestic production and dependable international partnerships. Localisation will be most sustainable when it is supported by technology expertise, consistent quality and sound economics.
Q: India has now become the world’s third-largest renewable energy capacity holder. As the sector moves into its next phase of growth, what are the other key requirements, across infrastructure, technology, financing, storage and policy, to support the scale of renewable energy that India is targeting?
India’s position among the world’s leading renewable-energy markets is an important achievement. The next phase will require generation capacity, transmission infrastructure and storage to develop in a coordinated manner so that additional capacity translates into dependable power supply. Timely grid connectivity, stronger transmission networks and better forecasting will be essential. Storage needs commercially viable deployment models, while projects and manufacturing facilities require financing suited to their investment cycles and risks.
On technology, the focus should include higher efficiency, long-term reliability and stronger domestic research capabilities. Predictable policy, clear implementation timelines and coordination across central and state agencies will help businesses plan investments with greater confidence. The sector’s success should increasingly be measured through reliable electricity delivery, competitive costs and sustainable domestic value creation, alongside the capacity being installed.