Indian solar industry on the rise

Indo-German Energy Forum holds panel discussion on domestic content rules at the 2014 Intersolar exhibition in Mumbai.

The Intersolar trade exhibition in Munich is the leading exhibition for the international solar industry. What is more, the offshoot in the Indian city of Mumbai meant the event took place in a country that is one of the world's most promising users of solar energy. The event provided an appropriate platform for the Indo-German Energy Forum to hold a lively panel discussion on India's domestic content rules.

India has set itself very ambitious goals in its National Solar Mission strategy. Currently the maximum solar energy capacity is three gigawatts (GW), with the aim of reaching 20 GW by 2022. The Indian Government has even stated that 100 GW may be attainable by then. In order to achieve this ambitious goal, the Government is undertaking great efforts to attract foreign investors. In February 2015, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy will hold an international investor summit called RE-INVEST in New Delhi. In addition, India will be the official partner country of the Hannover Messe industrial exhibition in April, where the topic of energy will play a key role.

The Indo-German Energy Forum was founded in 2006 by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the former Indian premier Mammohan Singh. The Forum receives substantial support from the German Environment Ministry through the Support Office for the Indo-German Energy Forum within the context of the International Climate Initiative.