Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday highlighted India’s growing wind energy capacity, calling it a “major milestone” as the country crossed the 5.5 GW mark in annual additions and continued to strengthen its renewable energy footprint.
Speaking during the 133rd episode of his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat, the Prime Minister described wind energy as an invisible yet powerful force driving India’s growth and contributing to its development journey.
“In today’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’, I would like to speak about a power that is invisible, but without it, life is impossible even for a single moment. This is the force that is taking Bharat forward. This is our wind energy. Today, wind power is writing a new chapter in Bharat’s development story. Bharat has recently achieved a major milestone in wind energy,” PM Modi said.
He added, “Bharat’s wind generation capacity has now exceeded 56 gigawatts. Today, Bharat ranks fourth in the world in wind energy capacity. This reflects the hard work of our engineers, the efforts of our youth, and the country’s collective willpower.”
India recorded its highest-ever annual wind capacity addition of 6.05 GW during FY 2025–26, surpassing the previous peak of 5.5 GW achieved in FY 2016–17. This marks an increase of nearly 46 per cent over FY 2024–25, indicating a sharp acceleration in onshore wind deployment.
With this addition, India’s cumulative installed wind power capacity has crossed 56 GW. The milestone reflects renewed momentum in the sector, supported by improved policy clarity, enhanced transmission infrastructure, competitive tariff discovery, and a strong project pipeline.
The growth has been driven by sustained policy support, improved project execution, and greater pipeline maturity across key wind-rich states such as Gujarat, Karnataka, and Maharashtra. These states have led capacity additions, aided by an expanding pipeline of wind-solar hybrid projects and the gradual rollout of green energy open access.
India’s wind energy sector has steadily evolved into one of the leading markets globally. The government has introduced several measures to support its growth, including concessional customs duty on key components used in wind turbine manufacturing, a graded waiver of Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) charges until June 2028, competitive bidding mechanisms, dedicated Wind Renewable Consumption Obligation (RCO) frameworks, and technical support from the National Institute of Wind Energy.
The expansion is expected to play a key role in achieving India’s broader target of 500 GW of non-fossil fuel-based energy capacity by 2030, reinforcing the country’s transition towards cleaner and more sustainable energy sources.
India’s wind energy programme began in the early 1990s as part of the government’s broader renewable energy strategy. Over the past three decades, the country has built a strong ecosystem and a robust policy framework to support grid-connected wind power projects.
-ANI
