Cosmic PV secures CTE for 1.1 GW solar cell plant in Madhya Pradesh
Cosmic PV Power Limited has received the Consent to Establish (CTE) from Madhya Pradesh’s pollution control authorities for its proposed 1.10 GW solar cell manufacturing facility in Narmadapuram. The approval clears the way for construction of the project, which the company expects to commission in FY 2027-28.
The Surat-based solar module manufacturer will develop the facility on 60 acres of land leased for 99 years. The plant will manufacture solar cells using N-Type TOPCon technology and marks the company’s entry into domestic solar cell production as it expands beyond module manufacturing.
Commenting on the development, Jenish Ghael, Chairman, Cosmic PV Power Limited, said, “The CTE approval for Narmadapuram is a milestone we have worked towards for a long time. Backward integration into cells is not an option anymore for serious module manufacturers — it is the only way to stay relevant once ALMM List-II takes full effect. This plant is our answer to that shift, and we are building it to be ready for the next stage of growth for the firm and the market.”
Expansion strategy
The investment comes after the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) implemented the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) List-II requirement for domestically manufactured solar cells from June 1, 2026. Under the mandate, government-backed, net-metered and open-access projects must use solar cells sourced only from domestic manufacturers approved under ALMM List-II.
According to the company, the policy has highlighted the gap between India’s module and cell manufacturing capacities. While the country has around 193-210 GW of module manufacturing capacity, domestic solar cell manufacturing capacity stood at about 30-31 GW as of mid-2026. The gap is more pronounced in N-Type TOPCon technology, where nearly 172 GW of approved module manufacturing capacity is supported by only around 10 GW of domestic TOPCon cell capacity.
The Narmadapuram project forms part of Cosmic PV’s broader backward integration strategy. The company has previously outlined plans to establish a 4 GW TOPCon solar cell manufacturing facility in Madhya Pradesh, with the proposed 1.10 GW plant representing the first phase of that expansion.
Manufacturing footprint
Founded in 2020 by Jenish Ghael and Shravan Gupta, Cosmic PV Power initially started with 125 MW of manufacturing capacity. The company now operates two fully automated manufacturing facilities in Surat with a combined solar PV module manufacturing capacity of 3 GW, producing Mono PERC, bifacial and N-Type TOPCon modules.
In addition to manufacturing modules under its own brand, the company also undertakes original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and original design manufacturer (ODM) production for around 15 domestic solar companies.
Earlier in 2026, Cosmic commissioned an additional 1.6 GW TOPCon G12R module manufacturing line at its Surat facility. The company has also raised funding from investors, including Chanakya Opportunities Fund.
Shravan Gupta, Managing Director, Cosmic PV Power Limited, said, “We did not start out planning to be a cell manufacturer, but the market has told us clearly that module makers who stay dependent on imported cells will be left behind. Narmadapuram gives us control over a critical part of our supply chain, and it sets up the next stage of our journey, which includes storage. Our goal is to be a complete clean energy manufacturing company, not just a module supplier.”
The company plans to begin commercial operations at the Narmadapuram facility in FY 2027-28 as it expands towards vertically integrated manufacturing across solar cells, modules and, eventually, energy storage.
The featured photograph is for representation only.
