India Added 35.2 GW of Solar and 4.69 GW of Wind Capacity in the First Nine Months of 2026
India achieved a record milestone in renewable energy installations, adding nearly 35.2 GW of new solar capacity and 4.69 GW of wind capacity during the first nine months of 2026 (January-September). Solar capacity increased by about 19.5%, while wind installations declined by around 5.5% compared to the same period last year.
In terms of cumulative installations, according to the data released by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) till September 2026, India’s RE installed capacity reached ~299.2 GW. Solar energy contributes approximately 57% of the total RE segment, making it the largest contributor, followed by wind at ~20%, large hydro at ~17%, bio power at ~4%, and small hydro at ~2%.
Figure 1: RE installation trends in India, as of September 2026
Source: CEA, MNRE, JMK Research
Note: Solar capacity includes utility scale solar, rooftop solar and off-grid/distributed solar capacity
From January to September 2026, about 24.4 GW of new utility-scale solar capacity was added in India. The majority of these additions were in Q1 2026 (12.12 GW), after which the pace slowed to about 6.87 GW in Q2 and 5.4 GW in Q3, reflecting a steady decline in quarterly additions over the year.
From January to September 2026, India added approximately 9.8 GW of rooftop solar capacity. Around 34% of these installations were added during Q3 2026. Cumulatively, rooftop solar installations reached about 33.4 GW as of September 2026.
In the off grid/distributed solar segment, about 1,041 MW was added in the first nine months of 2026. This accounts for about 3% of the 35.2 GW of solar capacity added during the period.
Figure 2: Â Solar and Wind energy capacity addition trends in India
Source: JMK Research
In the wind sector, about 4.69 GW of new capacity was added in the first nine months of 2026. Around 37.5% of this capacity (~1.76 GW) was installed in Q3 2026 alone.
In terms of state wise installations in the first nine months of 2026, the top five states Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh have collectively accounted for approximately 76% of the total solar and wind capacity installed in India. Gujarat led the installation in this period, with around 12.9 GW installed capacity, followed by Rajasthan (~9 GW) and Maharashtra (~3 GW). Gujarat alone contributed about 32% of India’s solar and wind additions. Gujarat and Rajasthan combined accounted for roughly 55% of the total.
Figure 3: State-wise Solar and wind capacity addition in India from January-September 2026
Source: MNRE, JMK Research
According to JMK Research, this momentum is expected to continue in the last quarter of 2026, with India projected to add another 10 to 12 GW of solar and wind capacity. As a result, total solar and wind installations are expected to cross 50 GW mark by the end of the calendar year 2026.